As many residents and neighbors know, MyArlingtonTV features the show called Dream Builders that not only entertains but showcases how our community is working towards helping kids dream big. And not only are Arlington children dreaming, but they’re making dreams come true with conviction. The program focuses on using kids’ creativity and growing skills while leveraging the tools they need for each unique aspiration.
Dream Builder’s latest episode featured the Arlington Police Department’s Bridge Kids Program. The Bridge Kids initiative began in 2016 with the mission to help kids attending the Lynn Hale Elementary School safely cross a pedestrian bridge. It was a bridge used by a huge percent of the student body, with many residential neighborhoods situated on the other side.
The bridge crossing raised concerns for many parents with regular reports of juvenile delinquent behavior and misdemeanor, as well as bullying.
Something had to be done, and the APD met with the members of the community and representatives from the school to find the path to a solution. In the end, the APD developed a plan that comprehensively addressed the heart of the problem, thus making the bridge a safe place for the children crossing every day.
The program was as simple as APD policemen and women accompanying children across the bridge every day.
According to the administration of the Lynn Hale Elementary School, after the Bridge Kids program was put in place and bridge crossing became a non-incident instead of a place for doubt and fear, students across the school exhibited increased academic achievements, and behavioral incidents diminished.
In thanks for this program, the Arlington Police Department received a very much deserved Texas Municipal League Excellence Award in 2018, winning this recognition in the Public Safety Category.
The people from Arlington can find MyArlingtonTV programs on multiple cable channels such as Spectrum Channel 16 and AT&T U-Verse channel 99, and can stream the program at www.arlington-tx.gov. For those who are interested in watching all the episodes of Dream Builders, they can find them on the Facebook Page, the Twitter account or on the City’s YouTube Channel.
