ST. LOUIS — On Tuesday, the first day of school for St. Louis Public School students, Better Family Life created a “Neighborhood Net” that escorted students safely to class.
“The bus stops are off limits,” that’s the message James Clark with Better Family Life wants to send to parts of north St. Louis.
Five-hundred volunteers will watch over 200 bus stops for the first week of class. Something that puts Maya Lewis at ease.
“(The neighborhood is) dangerous,” she said. “Last year there was an incident where my daughter was hit by a driver. I am extra cautious, extra worried. Little instances like that (worry me) not necessarily gun violence but people being careless.”
Carl Walton said patrolling his neighborhood bus stop is something he’s done for years.
It’s not just about watching over his children but the neighborhood as a whole.
“Just the neighborhood, the community it's not safe,” Walton said. “People speeding to get to work., violence. All type of things happening in this neighborhood. It’s not just about my children but any child I know that will be at that bus stop.”
When Walton was young, he said the adults watched over the students so they could focus in school. As a parent and role model, he’s trying to do the same for the next generation.
For more information about the program, you can get in touch with Better Family Life.