SEFFNER, Fla. — “Walking Bus Stops” could be coming to your neighborhood soon. Some parent teacher associations at Hillsborough County schools are taking the initiative to help keep students who walk or bike to school safe.

“Hi! Are you interested in being one of the parent leaders for Lopez’s walking bus stop?” said Ashley Foxworth, mother of a Lopez Elementary student in Seffner. 

On Monday, she spent her afternoon pounding the pavement outside the school, looking for parent volunteers for the school’s “Walking School Bus” program. 

“I’m trying to be here as a Lopez parent, and have parent leaders at each subdivision just to monitor and help kids cross the street and get home safely,” said Foxworth. 

She said she’s concerned for students’ safety because of how busy Kingways Road is, which is where Lopez Elementary is, and where there are several subdivisions these students live in.

“Kids either live here at Kingsway Estates, or across in Winster Manor. That subdivision goes all the way back to Hickory Hills. My concern is that there’s no crosswalk or guard, so who’s protecting these kids and making sure they’re safe as they walk home? Nobody,” she said. 

But she is hoping somebody will be, and soon.

“We have to come back together as a community and be engaged with our kids. COVID stopped a lot of that, so we have to start getting back in the community and embrace our kids and make sure they’re safe," Foxworth continued.

She says she realizes it’s a lot to ask parents to be available every morning and afternoon, but she won’t give up until she gets the Walking School Bus up and running. 

Foxworth made sure to add this is a districtwide initiative that any PTA can choose to take part in. She plans on working to find volunteers and get it up and running at Lopez elementary as soon as possible.