Bald Eagle Middle School Students Win State Safety Award
Two local students earned top honors in the Pennsylvania School Bus Safety Poster Contest for their safety awareness work.
Updated on Oct. 31, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Two students from Bald Eagle Middle School in Wingate secured the top spots in the Pennsylvania School Bus Safety Poster Contest. The win comes as the state honors school transportation safety efforts during an annual awareness week.
Why it matters
Highlighting student safety efforts serves as a reminder of the scale of school bus operations, which transport 1.4 million students across the state every day. Recognition programs aim to reinforce safe habits for the daily commute.
Hailey Struble and Gracelyn Glunt took first and second place in the grade 6-8 division out of 92 total statewide entries. The program coincided with the 47th annual school bus driver competition, which evaluated approximately 50 drivers.
The players
PennDOT
The state agency responsible for overseeing transportation infrastructure and school bus safety regulations in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania State Police
The law enforcement agency that works with state officials to enforce transportation codes and conduct safety inspections.
The details
The contest challenged students to create artwork under the theme Safe Rides - Everyday Heroes to emphasize bus safety awareness. At the same time, professional bus drivers participated in a separate event in Bellefonte involving a written exam and a practical driving skills test to ensure operational standards.
Timeline
June 2026: State school bus driver safety competition held in Bellefonte.
October 19-23, 2026: Pennsylvania School Bus Safety Week.
October 21, 2026: Student awards ceremony held at the Hershey Antique Automobile Museum.
The Home Front
The awards highlight the state's ongoing commitment to transport safety for the 1.4 million students relying on bus services daily. This initiative follows the pattern established by Pennsylvania School Bus Safety Week to improve awareness across local school districts.
Families can use these safety themes to discuss bus boarding and exiting procedures with children to ensure they understand their role in transit safety. Parents should check with their local school district for information on upcoming safety drills and transportation policies.
The takeaway
Maintaining school bus safety is a collaborative effort between professional drivers and students who advocate for safe practices. Review your local school district transportation handbook to confirm your child understands current safety protocols.
Further reading
For more information on state programs, visit Pennsylvania Secondary Education.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NorthcentralPA.
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