CLERMONT, Fla. – Pine Ridge Elementary School students in Clermont are getting results in a big way.
Wednesday morning, the school held a ribbon cutting for the new sidewalks that span the school and extend into nearby neighborhoods.
A crosswalk and four-way stop were also added. The addition was especially exciting because it was a direct result of action taken by the students three years ago.
When the school was built, there weren't many neighborhoods around and so not much need for sidewalks. That left students either having to be dropped off to school, or walk in dangerous high grass or the streets.
So fourth and fifth graders devised a plan, even meeting over the summer with city leaders. They did environmental studies, researched cost and feasibility, made models and presented the information to get sidewalks added.
Middle schooler Megan Davies was one student who participated and is excited to see the plan come to fruition.
"I like that the whole school got involved and we actually got to talk about things that we needed," Davies said.
The school now has new goals, planning to ask for crossing guards, since more students are now walking to school.