Minnesota Student Wins School Bus Safety Poster Contest

A Minnesota middle school student has been declared overall winner of the 2022-2023 National School Bus Safety Poster Contest.

The annual contest is sponsored by the National Association for Pupil Transportation, National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, National School Transportation Association, and school bus manufacturers Blue Bird, IC Bus, and Thomas Built Buses.

The winning poster, by Avrie Siedschlag of Coon Rapids Middle School, captured the "Safely Rolling to My Destination" theme of the contest. According to an NAPT news release, "Siedschlag showcases the importance of following safety protocols throughout the ride to the ultimate destination for all children, to the school building."

Contest judges based their votes on safety impact, originality, artistic quality, and visual impact. They considered posters in five divisions from 22 different states. Siedschlag's poster will be showcased during this years National School Bus Safety Week, Oct 16-20. Divisional winners included:

Division #1 (Grades K-2)

• 1st Place: Kinsley Hornbeck, Washington District Elementary (West Virginia)
• 2nd Place: Monserrat Morales Encarnacion, Beach Heights E.S. (Maryland)
• 3rd Place: Mar De La Cruz, Garden Park Elementary (Texas)

Division #2 (Grades 3-5)

• 1st Place: Ruhaani Kaur, Half Follow Hills Central School District (New York)
• 2nd Place: Anthony Russo, North Babylon (New York)
• 3rd Place: Ma'Riyah Dudley, Edgewood Independent School District (Texas)

Division #3 (Grades 6-8)

• 1st Place (and overall winner): Avrie Siedschlag, Coons Rapid Middle School (Minnesota)
• 2nd Place: Lauren Wood, Lake Shore Central Schools (New York)
• 3rd Place: Daisy Cribb, Williams Township School (North Carolina)

Division #4 - Special Education (Grades K- 12)

• 1st Place: Javari Jackson, Everman Independent School District (Texas)
• 2nd Place: Jerrold Pitzer, Havana High School (Illinois)
• 3rd Place: Dacey Jackson, Bay Springs Middle (Georgia)

Division #5 - CAD (Computer Aided Drawing)

• 1st Place: Gavin Blankenship, Sussex Technical High School (Delaware)