Halley Costantino, a senior at High School South, completed her Girl Scout Gold Award by creating Plainsboro Safety Town, a week-long summer camp for pre-kindergarten children. To accomplish her goal she worked closely with her mentor, Sargent Joseph E. Jankowski of the Plainsboro Township Police Department, and Kathy Slothower, her Girl Scout adviser.
“The idea for creating Safety Town came about when I began driving,” Costantino says. “As a new driver I noticed how people cross the street without looking and how people walk or ride their bikes on the wrong side of the street.”
Safety Town took place early this past summer and was created to instruct pre-kindergarten students in a variety of topics including the proper use of 911 and fire, bus, pedestrian, and bicycle safety. “In the United States one of the top causes of death for children ages 5 to 14 years of age is injuries sustained as a result of pedestrian accidents,” says Jankowski.
The primary goal of Safety Town was to educate young students about laws and actions that will keep them safe and protected. Costantino planned the entire week-long camp including creating lesson plans, designing arts and craft projects, organizing volunteers, and soliciting donations.
Children learned different safety practices through the use of stories, movies, crafts, and community helper visits from the Plainsboro police and fire departments. Students practiced their newly acquired skills by riding tricycles or walking through a mock town that had roads, houses, sidewalks, stop signs, and a traffic light.
A graduation ceremony was held on the last day of camp to celebrate the efforts of the children and to share their newly learned safety experiences with their families. “It was a rewarding experience to see the kids practicing what they learned and knowing that I was helping the community become a safer place,” Costantino says. “The project was a lot of work that paid off in the end.”
Costantino has been a Girl Scout in troop 71480 since kindergarten. She previously earned her bronze award by creating a troop project, “Night Eyes Hike,” and her silver award for co-creating “Eight Basic Skills,” a workshop for Girl Scouts new to camping.
As her youth scouting career winds down, Costantino reflects on her Gold Award project. “This program is sustainable and can be run again next year — which I plan to do with my sister, Rachel,” she says.
For information about joining Girl Scouts in West Windsor or Plainsboro as a girl or an adult volunteer, contact Louisa Ho at 609-371-2119 or E-mail louisa.ho@verizon.net.
