The blue stars that once symbolized a safe haven in Ames have become nothing more than an old window decoration. The Blue Star program that provided children with a safe refuge in case of an emergency was popular in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Officers say it died from a lack of community interest. “It’s a need that has outgrown itself,” said Capt. Randy Kessel of the Ames Police Department. “The volunteering is just not what it used to be. More moms are working, and those that are retired are traveling more.” Cpl. Rory Echer of the Ames Police Department believes the program also failed because the participants said the mandatory background check infringed on their rights. “Not everyone would agree to a background check,” he said. “They believed it was a good program, but they didn’t want their rights infringed,” he said. “We don’t want to be handing out stars to anyone. We wanted to make sure they weren’t a sex offender in the past or that they had a criminal record.” The elementary school principals in Ames said they teach children what to do in case an emergency occurs while they are walking to or from school. Bill Moore, principal of Fellows Elementary, 1400 McKinley Drive, said his students inform him whenever anything “out of the ordinary” occurs. “I think the parents expect the children to go straight home,” Moore said. “Most children were not really raised on that side of it – about being invited to a [stranger or friend’s] dwelling [after school]. Most are told that the expectation is to go straight home and to respect the neighbors’ property.” Moore said the faculty and staff at Fellows as well as those who live around the school grounds work together to create a “safe zone” for the children. This zone replaces the comfort of a blue star home. “From the time the student leaves their door to the time they get to school, and from the time they leave here until they get home, I feel responsible for them,” Moore said.