It was so fun to interview Victoria Johns and help with this story which ran in Noozhawk earlier this month. As a mom I really admire this program and so glad my daughter was involved back in the day. Learn more and register here!
An iconic rite of passage for kindergarten-age children in the community, Safety Town of Santa Barbara County is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Since 1975, Safety Town has taught important safety skills to kindergarteners through interactive summer sessions led by community professionals.
Safety Town continues to provide week-long summer sessions where children ages 4-5 learn personal and public safety skills as they prepare to start kindergarten.
Through music and and arts and crafts, kids learn about a range of safety
topics, such as traffic and pedestrian rules, fire prevention, water safety skills, and emergency
preparedness.
Firefighters, police officers, and other safety professionals bring these lessons to life, giving young ones an awareness of the many people who keep the community safe.
A highlight of the program is the miniature Safety Town, where children practice pedestrian and passenger safety in a realistic, small-scale setting.
Fostering a spirit of nurturing and collaboration, each summer nearly 250 local teen counselors-in-training (CITs) volunteer as role models, ensuring a low child-to-teen ratio so kids can receive individual, personalized attention. Certified teachers guide and teach the Safety Town curriculum.
“I’m a mom, a local real estate professional, and a community advocate in Santa Barbara,” said Kathleen Rogers. “I’ve seen firsthand how Safety Town instills confidence and critical safety skills in our children.
“Fifteen years ago, my daughter attended Safety Town the summer before she began kindergarten at Santa Barbara Community Academy Elementary on the Westside. She loved riding around the miniature Safety Town on a scooter while learning the rules of the road, and she adored Smoky Bear who taught fire safety skills,” she said.
“At the end of the week-long session, a local child psychologist and the executive director of CALM taught the children about protecting their personal safety in a lesson describing the difference between a surprise, and a secret, good touch vs. bad touch, and being able to protect their bodies and say ‘No,’ even to a hug from a stranger in a grocery store if it did not feel right to them,” Rogers said.
To honor its 50th anniversary, Safety Town encourages the community is to support its mission, which can come in a variety of ways:
Enrolling your child in a one-week summer session; becoming a Safety Town High
School volunteer for community service credit; and/or making a charitable gift to the nonprofit organization.
“Support from our community ensures that Safety Town of Santa Barbara County will continue its mission to provide a high-quality safety education program for young children now and into the future,” the nonprofit said.
Safety Town’s Summer 2025 session dates and locations are as follows – some are already full. If you would like to volunteer, or need financial assistance, let the organization know as soon as possible:
Safety Town Schedule – Register Now or Reach out to Volunteer
Montecito Union Elementary School, Montecito
● Session 1: June 16-20
● Session 2: June 23-27
Mountain View Elementary School, Goleta
● Session 1: June 16-20 (join a waitlist)
● Session 2: June 23-27 (join a waitlist)
Isla Vista Elementary School, Goleta
● Session 1: July 7-11
● Session 2: July 14-18
Look into these summer dates as soon as possible, as they are filling up fast. To learn more and get involved, visit http://www.sbsafetytown.org.
Here is the Noozhawk Article
