Driving in school is usually not permitted, but the staff at the Early Childhood Development Center made an exception for Michigan State Police Trooper Bucklebear and his friend Trooper Cynthia Edwards on Oct. 31.
Edwards visited several classrooms throughout the day, and talked to students about her job and why buckling their seatbelt is important. To help her get her message across, she invited Trooper Bucklebear, a three-foot bear in a miniature police car, into the room.
‘Some children may be afraid of the police, but by the time I leave with Trooper Bucklebear, they are giving hugs and are very excited. This has been a very rewarding program, for the children and myself,? said Edwards, who has been the voice of Bucklebear for almost six years.
‘The primary goal of this program is to promote safety,? she said. ‘Whether it’s car safety, buckling up, or 911. It is a great tool to get any safety message across to the children.?
The troopers spent the day visiting all the classrooms at the ECD, asking questions and reminding students about the value of basic safety lessons. Edwards said the years she has been doing the program have been very rewarding, and she has recived many hand-written thank you cards and pictures from the classrooms she has visited.