The Oregon SRTS Conference is coming to Eugene in just two weeks and we’re very excited to be hosting people from around the state (and the country) to talk about the future of Safe Routes to School in Oregon.
The conference will be held on June 20-21 at South Eugene High School and will include speakers and sessions for new and veteran Safe Routes to School (SRTS) practitioners, staff, volunteers, and partners. There will also be time for networking, social events, and special tours. This event is a great opportunity to learn more and share knowledge around Safe Routes to School and is open to anyone working to get more kids out and active in their communities; SRTS practitioners, teachers, parents, health care providers, and other professionals.
Keith Benjamin, SRTS National Partnership
We’re excited to have 4J Superintendent Dr. Gustavo Balderas opening the conference and introducing our first great keynote speaker and facilitator Keith Benjamin from the Safe Routes to School National Partnership who will be speaking on the importance of Equity in Safe Routes to School.
Following the opening we have presentations ranging from “Youth Leadership in Transit Justice” to “Policy 101: Why and How to Support Safe Routes to School”. There are even some “mobile presentations on foot and on bikes. To wrap up the first day we have a special keynote open to the general public (see below). On the second day we’ll dig even deeper with an opening session on funding and a broad transportation perspective from Tammy Baney, the Chair of the Oregon Transportation Commission and then more great sessions. We’ll wrap things up with our annual Oregon SRTS Network meeting and make some plans for the coming years.
The conference will be an opportunity to show off what makes Eugene a great place to bike, walk, and roll as well as learn from others what we can do to make it even better! You can register (only $20/day!) and find out more about the conference here.
A major event being held as part of the conference is an “open keynote” event for the general public on Monday evening with special guest Lenore Skenazy of “Free Range Kids”. The event is titled “Giving Our Children Freedom & Independence” and is one you won’t want to miss! There is a dinner social from 5-6:30 and then Lenore will speak and hold a Q&A from 6:30-8:30. We ask that you RSVP so we make sure we have space for everyone.
After the conference there will be a training for educators and coordinators of bicycle and pedestrian education and encouragement activities in schools that will be held on June 22-23 (registration required, also $20/day). It will include sessions on the Oregon Bicycle Safety Education and Pedestrian Safety Education curriculum, creating SRTS action plans, Classroom management skills for a group of kids on bikes, starting Bike Trains and Walking School Buses, and more.
Organized by the Oregon SRTS Network, this is the first time the biennial conference will be held in Eugene. The Oregon SRTS Network is a group of individuals and organizations working throughout the state to make walking and biking to school safe, convenient, and fun. The Network believes that every kid deserves to safely walk and bike to school and other places.
Major sponsors for this event are the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), Kaiser Permanente, and the 4J School District.