SPRINGFIELD HIGH State honors school for using seat belts

Persistence paid off for a dedicated officer.
NEW MIDDLETOWN -- There is a phantom at Springfield High School. Rain or shine, students can see police officer Ken Goist standing in the parking lot with a simple message: Buckle up.
"All I have to do is point to my chest and the kids know what I mean," he said.
And his prodding seems to be working. Thanks to his efforts, Ohio has honored Springfield Local School District for having the most improved seat belt use in the state, from 44.5 percent four years ago to 87.4 percent.
Goist, who conducts the surveys every morning, said he is adamant about making sure students are safe.
"I would not allow the kids to leave the school without the seat belt on them," he said. "I won't even allow kids to drive out of the parking lot with snow on the windows."
He said repetition is an important part of his success.
"If you're constantly telling someone to do it, they'll do it," Goist said.
Cooperation
Springfield High School Principal Dan Simcox said students have been very willing to respond to Goist's requests.
"Students appreciate someone caring about them," he said. "They are very responsive to that."
Simcox said the program's effectiveness is due in large part to the respect students have for Goist.
"As our school resource officer, he speaks with authority because he's been to traffic accidents where people have been wearing seat belts and where they haven't and it makes a difference," he said.
Goist said recently Springfield students had an opportunity to experience that difference firsthand.
"In the past year there have been a couple rollovers and the kids have walked out of it because of having a seat belt [on]," he said.
Simcox said the rollovers helped bring the message of safety home.
"The students realized how fortunate they were to have their seat belts on," he said.
Goist said his message goes beyond the students.
"I tell the parents too," he said.
Starting young
He also said he succeeds by educating students about safety at an early age. In third grade he holds seat belts and physics classes to show how seat belts can hold people back.
Goist said he wants the children to apply their lessons in life.
"I really push for them to tell their dad and mom and sister," he said.
"As long as we're all wearing it," he added.
Simcox said the school program is only one factor contributing to the rise in seat belt usage.
"In the public, I think more people are wearing their seat belts," he said.
He cited television commercials stressing messages such as "buckle up" as examples.
"They get it here and they get it in other places," Simcox said. "I think all the parts help."
But despite the recent honor, Goist said the work is far from over.
"This is a constant, ongoing thing because you know you have new students every year," he said.
Simcox said he agreed.
"There will always be growth until we have 100 percent of our students wearing seat belts 100 percent of the time," he said.
"We firmly believe our kids our important to us and we want to keep them around," he added.