ERNEST LANDANTE, JR.

With the reopening of school each September comes the risk of young children being left alone on school buses. Such an ordeal can cause lasting trauma for the child and parents. On behalf of the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, I planned and executed a safety awareness campaign designed to get New Jersey school bus drivers to routinely check their bus at the end of each route.

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I used my professional contacts to get the New Jersey School Bus Contractors Association and the School Transportation Supervisors of New Jersey on board with the initiative. I designed simple stickers that could be affixed over bus doors reminding drivers to look for children before leaving the bus. The school transportation organizations helped spread the word, and we distributed more than 9,000 stickers — far exceeding expectations.

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I produced a video public service announcement featuring interviews with organization members DCF leadership explaining how to prevent the situation. The video was distributed by email and posted on the department’s website and Facebook and YouTube pages.