Bring Your Child to Work Day at KC Scout

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KC Scout is known for hosting tours of its Traffic Management Center. Recently, however, they opened their doors to the children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, and more of MoDOT Kansas City employees as part of Bring Your Child to Work Day. The team had several learning activities for the guests allowing them to see what working in the Traffic Management Center involves every day. 

One of activities let the kids control a camera in the district office parking lot on the hunt for various flags that had been placed throughout the area. This simulation allowed the kids see what it is like for KC Scout operators detecting traffic incidents on the roadway through the use of traffic cameras.

Additionally, the guests were invited to create their own safety messages for KC Scout's digital message sign boards. 

"We used several sets of Scrabble tiles to help the children form their DMS safety messages, to be sure they fit the “18-character” rule per line!  Many of the older children found this helpful, while the younger ones enjoyed fiddling with the tiles," explains Special Projects Coordinator Nancy Powell.

Two winners were selected by TMC operators to have their safety messages posted to an actual DMS board in the metro for a few minutes. Senior Resources Technician Andrea Ricklef's daughter Alaina and Design Technician Tonya Owen's son Stephen were selected as the winners in this year's competition.

The event welcomed approximately 80 children who toured various areas around MoDOT Kansas City. KC Scout was thrilled to welcome young minds to their TMC and educate them on the important role they play in keeping motorists safe. 

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