Sunnyside Unified School District

Driven by their commitment to social justice, students from Sunnyside High School’s student council collaborated with the office of Vice Mayor Richard Fimbres and the City of Tucson Department of Transportation (TDOT) to shed light to the problem of pedestrian safety on the city’s south side. Students envisioned and put into place a pedestrian-activated Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) intended to increase the visibility of uncontrolled, marked crosswalks. Students convinced the City’s Department of Transportation that the city could implement a simple crosswalk that would reduce accidents by 60 percent at a reduced cost (approximately six times less than a standard HAWK crosswalk) which can cost up to $175,000. This represents the student agency and community spirit that is prevalent in our students, especially our senior leaders, and there will certainly be more activities of this type with a focus on community engagement from these students.