BRADENTON, Fla. — In the wake of a recent kidnapping, the Manatee County School District unveiled an effort to bolster the safety of its students.

On Friday, Gov. Charlie Crist rode one of the district’s new hybrid buses with 13-year-old Clay Moore, who was kidnapped from a bus stop in February. The bus traveled from the abduction site to a local elementary school, where the safety campaign was announced.

The effort, dubbed “Safe to School: All Eyes on Child Safety,” seeks to increase awareness within the community about the safety of students making their way to and from school. The program includes the following tips:

• Make sure your child walks to and from school or the bus stop with other children.
  

• Know your child's route to and from school or the bus stop.
  

• Parents and neighbors should monitor the county's more than 4,000 school bus stops before children are picked up and when they are dropped off.

  The campaign was spurred by the kidnapping of Moore in late February. After the teen was aducted at gunpoint and tied to a tree, he managed to free himself and find help. A suspect in the case was arrested in early March.

  “Clay Moore is a courageous young man who kept his cool in a very traumatic situation,” Crist said. “His quick thinking and creative problem-solving skills helped him escape and survive to return to his family and friends.”