Tuesday, August 29, 2017
YOUNGSTOWN
Youngstown city and school leaders applauded the improved paths to school – specifically around Taft Elementary – a week before school starts.
The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp., city of Youngstown, city school district, Taft School Area Block Watch and the Taft Promise Neighborhood coalition unveiled upgraded sidewalks Tuesday morning.
Although it may seem like something small, school district CEO Krish Mohip said the message is big: “Placing importance on our students.”
Mohip said he was “excited to see community come together and provide resources children need.”
“What this – to me – shows is that we have an entire community standing behind our children saying, ‘We can do better, and we will do better,’” he said.
Tanisha McMullen, Success After 6 coordinator at Taft, mirrored their sentiment.
“It’s going to be a new year with a new opportunity for the children to be safe,” she said. “Before, there were so many cracks in the sidewalks, and now we don’t have to worry about them falling and tripping on holes.”
The infrastructure improvements, including new sidewalks, curb ramps and a bicycle rack, were funded by a grant to the city from the Ohio Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School program.
Read more about the program and the other schools getting the improvements in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.