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Nashawn Craig can be seen in several social media videos about bus safety. The Romulus High School graduate works as a bus aide in the school district. |
Julie Brown
Staff Writer
While he may only be nearing his 18th birthday, Romulus High School graduate Nashawn Craig
is already a well-known social media personality.
Craig works as a bus aide for Romulus Public Schools, which prompted his current efforts on social media and YouTube to educate motorists about school bus safety. He has worked with others “just to show this is a problem and needs to stop.”
Craig was a student passenger on a Romulus school bus when he saw firsthand a dangerous driver. “Definitely, definitely, definitely,” he said of his current work and what district drivers see. “You would be surprised at some of the things we see.”
He recently witnessed a car being driven the wrong way on Michigan Avenue, he said. Craig said he also appreciates the Romulus district bus drivers who have helped
on his #Brake4Buses campaign, with several drivers even coming in Saturday on off time to appear and drive in the campaign videos.
Craig started the bus safety work for his first project with the
Family Career and Community Leaders of America group, in which students appear before judges to give presentations. He has been to several nationals for that organization, including trips to California and Georgia.
In one video, a woman driver is shown cutting off a bus and “the screen goes black. It's something that could happen,” said Craig. “That's seen a lot around here, too.”
One of the safety videos has almost 100,000 views on Facebook and
shows cars passing stop signs. The Romulus teen shares his work on varied social media, but finds nationwide Facebook is most often used by school bus drivers.
Craig showed his work to classes at Romulus High School “to see if the video was effective for all ages.”
He appreciates educators, including Romulus school administrators who gave the OK to post safety posters by school doorways. Craig was a Barth Elementary student in Romulus and works with children and staff there in creating the safety videos.
He's now at work on one for emergency evacuation and other safety procedures which also addresses problems with students hanging out of windows.
“It's been a long process” of creating and editing footage,” he said
“It's friends, family, advisors, teachers. Definitely the Romulus Transportation Department has been fabulous,” said Craig. He likes the people who assist “even if they are camera shy.”
Craig repeats the time-honored message on looking both ways to cross a street safely, adding of the work he does “I try to get it out to all ages. I try to target everybody.”
https://www.youtube.com/nashawncraig0312 is a video link for more about Craig.