Student Leaders for Active Transportation

By Corey Robinson

Corey Robinson, SEI Project Coordinator supports with Dr. MLK Jr. Academy’s National Bike to School Day event. Giveaways and raffle prizes were available for any student that walked or rolled to school.

The end of this 2023-2024 school year was an exciting milestone for SEI’s education team: a successful first year of the Youth Leading Active Communities (YLAC). Working with four elementary and middle schools in Marin County, our pilot program utilized a student leadership model, empowering students to identify opportunities for active and sustainable transportation in their communities.

Our team collaborated with teachers at Dr. MLK Jr. Academy and Hamilton School to develop and administer a YLAC curriculum. The lessons were "very interactive and hands-on," said Michelle Rampulla, a teacher at Dr. MLK Jr. Academy, "and even got the kids out of the classroom and on the street to critique the safety of their surrounding neighborhood." Rampulla added: "Students reflected on how they travel to school and how the community could decrease its carbon emissions.” 

Gail McCallister, a teacher at Hamilton School, said the YLAC curriculum was successful, "in raising awareness about safe alternative routes to school other than driving." 

Energized by the success of our pilot year — with funding from the Transportation Authority of Marin and in collaboration with Parametrix — SEI will continue to partner with Safe Routes to Schools (SR2S) to grow YLAC across Marin County schools.

​Learn more about SEI’s K-12 educational programming.

Dr. MLK Jr. Academy students assessing a major intersection by their school campus to observe safe transportation infrastructure and safety.