Lisle safety program broadens reach to teens, seniors as well as kids
When organizers created Lisle's Spring Into Safety program, it was a relatively small effort designed to benefit younger children.
Over the past five years, the objective hasn't changed, but the scope of the program has grown significantly to include safety concerns that affect preteens, teens and college-age students.
This year the program adds a whole new class of residents: senior citizens and their own age-appropriate safety concerns.
The free event, which continues to focus on prevention, education and awareness, is scheduled for 4 to 8 p.m. today at Lisle High School, 1800 Short St.
Topics this time around will include abduction prevention, personal safety, martial arts, Internet safety and awareness, bike safety, DNA and fingerprinting and senior citizen safety.
Organizer Stephanie Trussell, who has worked on the program since its inception, recently talked to the Daily Herald about the safety campaign.
Q. Why should parents bring their children to Spring Into Safety?
A. If we arm kids with the right tools, they might be able to handle or prevent a situation from happening. Somehow or somewhere, what a child learns at Spring Into Safety will benefit them.
If we educate the kids and their parents, they can be prepared if ever faced with a situation. Sitting through presentations, the parent may open up a conversation with their child. I learn something new every time I go.
Q. What's an important thing a parent should tell their child about being safe?
A. Depending on a child's age, parents should tell children to go with their gut instincts and use common sense. It can happen to you and no one is immune.
Q. Will seniors feel comfortable coming?
A. We will have them in a different area than the little kids so we can accommodate them nicely.
Q. What advice should parents offer preteens and teens?
A. Sometimes teens feel safe because they are on a computer and not face to face. They think things can't happen to them because they are smart and think they have it under control. They might forget that, online, it doesn't take much for a predator to know who they are.
Also, we need to tell our teens to be aware of his or her surroundings at the mall or at work. With cell phones, today's teens are open to more than ever before.
Q. Do you recommend families attend this event every year?
A. Just like we bring our children for yearly medical check-ups, we need to bring them every year. Different presentations may apply to kids differently at their current age. Every time you hear these things, you may pick up a different point or two. Every year the predators get smarter, so we need to get smarter, too.
Q. How popular are the martial arts demonstrations?
A. We've had a tremendous response from our demonstrations, and will have the Martial Arts Academy of Glen Ellyn and Grand Master Dong J. Kim demonstrate self-defense moves. This is an area where students heading off to college would benefit.
Q. How often should a parent update a child's ID?
A. Yearly. We all know kids change quickly. Take advantage of the free opportunities we offer.
Q. When should parents begin talking about safety to their kids?
A. About the age of two when you tell a child to hold your hand when walking through a store, you can say that the world is not filled with all genuine and good people. Just the same as you teach a child not to touch a hot stove, you need to teach them other safety concerns.
Q. Who else is participating this year?
A. Spring Into Safety is set up like a trade show and you can pick up different things from our participants and listen to their presentations.
We have Escape School, proper helmet use and safety, Internet safety, the senior citizen program and fingerprinting kits for parents to pick up.
Because we offer the program from 4 to 8 p.m., we will be selling pizza and beverages this year so people can stop in and not have to skip dinner.
If you go
What: Fifth annual Spring Into Safety
When: 4 to 8 p.m. today
Where: Lisle High School, 1800 Short St.
Cost: Free
Info: www.springintosafety.org