BY CHRIS McDANIEL
KAWC NEWS
SOMERTON — The Somerton High School Safety Committee has been lauded for its efforts to provide a safe place for students and staff.
On August 14th, the safety committee was presented with a $10,000 check during the Yuma Union High School District’s monthly Governing Board meeting.
During the meeting, YUHSD Director of Finance, Brenda Higuera, and Director of Health and Safety, Henry Gonzalez, distributed checks from Board-approved insurance proceeds to the safety committee for each of the seven eligible schools in the district.
In order to be eligible for the funds, the campuses fulfilled several requirements for the 2023-24 school year.
Since the safety committee awards began in the 2015-16 school year, Gila Ridge, Kofa, Vista, and San Luis High School have all earned the top award at least once. Gila Ridge and Kofa last earned a share of the top spot in 2023.
Each school is required to have a safety committee that meets quarterly and conducts inspections twice per school year, school officials say. During those meetings and inspections, each committee looks for building and equipment hazards such as damage to crosswalks and signage. They also monitor injuries on their campus throughout the school year.
“The campus administration at each of our schools is committed to providing a safe environment for staff and students,” Higuera said. “They take a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating risks to prevent accidents and injuries by conducting inspections and educating their staff on safety procedures.”
Other safety committee awards included: Kofa High School ($5,700), San Luis High School ($5,500), Vista High School ($5,400), Yuma High School ($5,100), Cibola High School ($4,900), and Gila Ridge High School ($4,200). Higuera, Gonzalez, and the YUHSD Governing Board presented oversized checks to a representative from each campus administrative team.
The committees at each campus will now choose three proposals for how to spend the funds, and allow students and faculty to vote on which proposal to approve for improving their respective campuses.
