As the construction of the Silver Line nears completion, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) seeks to educate Marshall students about the project. Marketing Teacher Angie Rogers’ students took to the challenge of spreading the word around school through posters, Twitter and QR codes.
Metro originally contacted Marshall about scheduling an assembly to inform students about safety on the new Silver Line, but ” [ Principal Jay] Pearson suggested that the marketing class could help spread the message to the students,” Rogers said.
The result was the formation of a small scale marketing project where students would spread information about the Silver Line to their peers.
“The project itself was to think of creative ways to get teens to be interested and informed about the Silver Line,” Marketing 1 student, sophomore Elizabeth Gardner said.
Not only did Metro want to inform students about station in their proximity, but also to use precautions while riding the train.
“I think some kids might have not used Metro or just don’t know the basics of it,” Gardner said. “Having one so close and using it regularly, it’s important to know how to use it safely.”
The new stations will be especially helpful to students who cannot drive or whose parents are not available to give rides.
“There is certainly a greater sense of independence, knowing you can hop on Metro to reach your destination and not have to rely on someone else’s schedule for a ride,” Metro Transit Research Analyst Elizabeth Quitana said.
Quintana adds that educating high school students will help spread safe behavior on Metro to other age groups.
“Our goal is to empower them to take pride in their ride,” Quintana said. “Their safe and positive behavior will be emulated by younger riders.”
There are two phases of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail project that will come to make up the Metro Silver Line. The first phase began construction in 2009 and is near completion. It will add five additional stations (McLean, Tysons Corner, Greensboro, Spring Hill, and Wiehle-Reston East), branching off of the Orange Line East Falls Church Station.