(PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
DRIVING … Children attending the Wauseon Safety City Program were able to experience a “driving” simulation. This sim helps to teach the children the importance of stop signs and crosswalks.
(PHOTO PROVIDED / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
POLICE … Officer Brad Croninger of the Wauseon Police Department speaks to children during this year’s Safety City in Wauseon.
By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
This June, dozens of local children got a head start on school and safety through Wauseon’s Safety City program.
The annual initiative, led by the Wauseon Safety City Committee, welcomed pre-kindergarten students to Wauseon Primary School for two weeks of hands-on learning about staying safe at home, at school, and in the community.
The 2025 program was offered in two sessions, running from June 2nd to the 13th and again from June 16th to the 27th.
Each child attended a two-hour class every weekday, with families choosing between a morning or afternoon time slot. Registration forms were available at the Wauseon Police Department and on its website.
Kristin Carrisalez, who has worked with the program for quite a while, led the instruction this year. She said the goal was to help young children feel more prepared and confident before starting kindergarten.
Most of the participants were five or six years old, with each of them learning about bicycle safety, fire drills, school routines, and how to stay safe in different everyday situations.
Throughout the sessions, children met with local safety professionals. Police officers taught bike rules and explained the importance of making safe choices.
The fire department brought a smoke trailer that let kids practice how to safely exit a house during a fire. Students even heard from railroad representatives about train safety and met a dog from the Humane Society during a lesson on animal safety.
Carrisalez led other lessons as well, covering topics like stranger awareness, playground safety, and basic classroom behavior.
One favorite activity was riding through a small traffic town on bikes and Power Wheels, with two of the vehicles being brand new after receiving a donation from Walmart.
The program is serving around 40 children this year, with the primary goal being to ensure children are ready for life as a kindergartener, both at home and at school.