For most students, getting home from school is a routine journey. For Daniil Prokofev, an eight-mile run home turned into something far more consequential. A route generated by Google Maps sent the 17-year-old along a stretch of Braddock Road without sidewalks, forcing him close to traffic and through shrubbery as daylight faded. What should have been a straightforward trip quickly became a lesson in how navigation apps can overlook one crucial factor: whether a route is actually safe for the person using it. That experience eventually led Prokofev and two classmates at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia, to create SafeWalkr, a walking navigation platform designed with student safety in mind. The project, which began as a 24-hour coding challenge, is now being piloted across 14 Fairfax County Public Schools, states an online report by FCPS News.
When the fastest route isn’t the safest
Prokofev, now a senior, had assumed that a standard pedestrian route would account for basic safety. Instead, his experience highlighted a gap shared by many walkers and cyclists. Conventional navigation systems tend to focus heavily on reaching a destination quickly, but the shortest route can sometimes mean walking beside fast-moving traffic, crossing roads with limited pedestrian infrastructure or reaching stretches without sidewalks, states the online report.When Prokofev discussed the problem with fellow TJHSST seniors Ashwath Muppa and Isaac Leetyn, they discovered they had encountered similar issues. The three students began considering whether technology could be used to make pedestrian navigation more useful for children travelling to and from school. Their opportunity arrived during HackTJ, the school’s annual coding competition, adds the report by FCPS News.
Building a smarter walking route
Drawing on skills developed in a machine learning class taught by TJHSST teacher Nicole Kim, the students began developing an algorithm that could weigh safety alongside travel time. The resulting SafeWalkr platform combines information from Fairfax County records, Google Maps imagery and street databases. The system maps details such as crosswalks, traffic volumes and sidewalk coverage, allowing its algorithm to identify routes that offer a better balance between convenience and pedestrian safety.According to FCPS News, the students used Python, JavaScript and C++ to build the system and developed a mobile-friendly website intended for both parents and students. The premise was relatively simple: much of the information needed to identify safer routes already exists, but it is not necessarily incorporated into mainstream navigation algorithms.
From hackathon to school pilot
SafeWalkr might have remained a winning hackathon concept if not for the support it received from school officials. TJHSST Principal Mike Mukai encouraged the students to connect with Fairfax County Public Schools’ Safe Routes to School team, introducing them to Becky Gray. The collaboration helped the students refine the platform around the practical needs of families. They also consulted FCPS Chief Technology Officer Gautam Sethi on cybersecurity and web-hosting requirements, while Chief Safety and Security Officer Brian Lambert helped them consider operational safety protocols.TJHSST math teacher Sewon Yang served as the project’s advisor, helping the students pursue funding and offering feedback alongside Mukai as the platform developed.
14 schools join the programme
The report also states that SafeWalkr will be piloted for families living within the walking zones of 14 FCPS schools, with the launch timed to coincide with National Walk and Roll to School Day. The participating elementary schools are Annandale Terrace, Bush Hill, Cardinal Forest, Chesterbrook, Freedom Hill, Lemon Road, Kings Park, Ravensworth, McNair and Mt. Eagle. Cooper and Twain are the participating middle schools, while Hayfield Secondary and Justice High round out the secondary and high-school participants.Image Courtesy: FCPS News
