October 21, 2005 - - Two talented Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) employees have teamed up to write and illustrate Bridget and Little Mac's Birthday Trip, a colorful children's book created in honor of MDOT's centennial year in 2005. The book, which was paid for with donated funds, will be shared with selected elementary schools this fall as part of the department's Centennial Schools Initiative.

(The book is available as a PDF; file size is 3.7MB.)

Michelle Myers, author, and Brian Whitfield, illustrator, plan to read their story at two local elementary schools in Lansing and Charlotte where their own children attend. The story they collaborated on is about Little Mac and his younger sister, Bridget, who decide to visit their Grandma Dot on her 100th birthday. Their journey highlights many modes of transportation and some valuable safety lessons.

"As a parent of two young daughters, my vision for this book was to touch on transportation aspects in a meaningful way to children - to communicate how transportation affects all parts of our life," said Myers. "The story can also be used as a tool to explain how our jobs tie into the big picture of transportation."

"This book not only talks about transportation, but it shows kids how to share, and ask for help. It shows fitness and safety, love and family," said Whitfield.

Copies of the book will be donated to the classrooms that are visited by MDOT employees.

MDOT's Centennial Schools Initiative encourages transportation employees to use the eight hours designated for school and community service, an option available to state employees. MDOT centennial planners created four learning modules for employees to use when visiting classrooms and to share a transportation lesson. The modules are appropriate for elementary through high school and include: the story book for lower elementary grades, how to read the state map for elementary through middle school, Michigan transportation history for middle school, and transportation careers for high school students.

Bridget and Little Mac's Birthday Trip is available for a minimum $5 donation. All proceeds will be donated to the Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children to help buy books for preschool, Head Start, and child-care facilities. Teachers interested in scheduling a transportation employee visit to their classroom may contact one of MDOT's seven region offices, which are located in Southfield, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Saginaw, Gaylord and Escanaba, to request assistance from the centennial region coordinator. In Lansing, contact Janet Foran, 517-335-7176.

MDOT: Celebrating 100 years of transportation innovation, 1905-2005