The Future Problem Solvers is an international competition program that students at Danville High School compete in each year. The group of students identify a topic of concern within their community and develops a plan of action to improve the situation. Their most recent project, called Project Ignition, is focused on promoting safe driving within the community. With Halloween around the corner, they are extending their focus to include promoting a safe evening of trick-or-treating for the children in their community. Trick-or-treating is always a fun activity for kids to partake in on Halloween, but it is not always the safest. Children walking around after dark puts them at a higher risk to be hit by a vehicle. In fact, children are four to five times more likely to be involved in a fatal car accident on Halloween night than any other night of the year. Project Ignition recognizes that the busy roads in Danville and the high amounts of crime in the area do not provide a safe location for children to trick-or-treat.
To create a safe space for trick-or-treating for the children of Danville, the group is partaking in two events to help promote a safe and happy Halloween. On Saturday, October 27th, from 9am until 2pm they will have a booth at the Kenneth D. Bailey Academy Fall Festival in Danville, giving the public different tips to ensure them of a safe Halloween night. Then, on Halloween from 4pm to 6pm, in partnership with Project Success, they are helping to throw an event called, “Light Up the Night- Don’t be a Ghost, Look and Be Seen on Halloween” at Laura Lee Fellowship House. The message they are sending is, “a happy Halloween is a safe Halloween”. At the event, children will be allowed to walk around to different stations in their costumes and collect candy in a safe environment. On top of trick-or-treating, there will be different games and activities for the children to partake in. The group will also be handing out clip-on light reflectors to take home, to be worn not only on Halloween night, but any night that children are walking around outside. These reflectors will allow children to be seen in the dark, helping to avoid any possible accidents from occurring.
In order for this event to be a hit, they are asking for help from the community. The group is in need of candy donations and volunteers at the event to help pass out the candy. If you, or a group you are involved in, is interested in helping at the event, please contact Lori Woods at: [email protected] or at 217-444-1573.
Before you take your children out trick-or-treating, make sure you pay attention to the possible dangers of the holiday activity. Always make sure you know the area, are highly visible, and always walk on the sidewalk, never on the road.
To find out more about Project Ignition and the work they have done, check out their Facebook page, linked here.
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