Tauranga Primary School principal Fiona Hawes said 22 road patrol students and Feet First advocates, an initiative which encourages children to cycle and walk to and from school, took part.
"These students are out there rain or shine to help keep themselves, their peers, and the wider community around their school safe.
"They make a really huge contribution to their school community. They're literally saving lives, as not all vehicles stop at pedestrian crossings," she said.
Western Bay of Plenty area Inspector Clifford Paxton agreed.
"Their efforts make a real and substantial difference in keeping themselves and their fellow students and their school community safe. I want to thank them, their parents and teachers for giving up the time to do so," he said.
Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless said the importance of these students in helping make it safer for people to move around the city could not be underestimated.
"The students' Orange Day banners are of high importance ... I would like to thank them for their significant commitment," he said.
Tauranga MP Simon Bridges, who also attended the parade, said he wanted to thank the children for their incredibly important efforts throughout the year.
Bridges said these initiatives helped make the children more savvy about the right things to do to keep themselves and their school community safe from harm.
Orange Day Parade:
More than 600 students from 28 Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty took part.
Parade held in partnership with Travel Safe, police and Fulton Hogan.
The event celebrates students' efforts throughout the year in promoting road safety.
Travel Safe and police work alongside schools in promoting road safety and active transport options supporting school action plans such as road patrols and bus monitors.
For Orange Day, students design a banner with relevant safety messages.
