A recent study conducted by Alarms.org concluded that Wayland is the safest town in Massachusetts, and maybe even in America. Alarms.org recorded that, in 2018, only one violent crime and one property crime occurred in Wayland, and according to Neighborhood Scout, residents or visitors in Wayland have just a 1 in 10,000 chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime. Many WHS students feel proud of this notable achievement, while others think it is unreasonable to call Wayland the single safest town in America.

Living in Wayland her entire life, sophomore Grace Marto feels safe in the small community.

“I genuinely feel pretty safe, especially during the day,” Marto said. “If I was in a scary situation, I would feel comfortable to knock on doors and ask for help.”

Marto enjoys walking on the Aqueduct and Rail Trail with friends in Wayland.

“Some of my favorite things to do is walk around town with friends,” Marto said.

Similar to Marto, junior Darini Nagalingam likes hanging out with her friends around Wayland, with some of her favorite spots being the Wayland Town Beach during the summer and at her friends’ houses. More generally, the aesthetic of Wayland feels inviting to Nagalingam.

“I like how there is a lot of greenery and nature,” Nagalingam said.

Although Marto feels that Wayland is safe, she is unsure if she agrees that Wayland is the safest town in the country.

“I wouldn’t say I have any strong reason to disagree; however, I feel like it’s a bit unlikely that we are the safest town ever,” Marto said. “Before formulating an educated opinion, I feel like I would have to get some more information. [Wayland] is very safe, it is definitely high on the list [of safest towns], but I just don’t know if it is the [safest].”

Similar to Marto, sophomore Grayson Getz is unsure if Wayland actually wins the prize for safety in America.

“I do not know how safe other towns are, but I do know that Wayland is extremely safe,” Getz said. “I have never seen any incidents even from walking around the town almost daily.”

Sometimes, the easiest way to compare one’s town is by seeing how other towns operate. For Marto, the comparison was notable on one of her trips.

“When I was in New York City, [my family and I] were [staying in an AirBnB] in an area of town that was not as safe,” Marto said. “We were eating at a little café, and a guy there tried to steal the tip jar. It struck me then that Wayland is pretty safe.”

Nagalingam adds that the small-town life attracts a certain type of person that adds to the safety factor in the town.

“[I think that Wayland is so safe because] it is a small town and due the people it attracts,” Nagalingam said.

During the school year, the Wayland Public Schools practice A.L.I.C.E drills and fire drills. In a normal non-pandemic year, the school usually goes over and practices these drills once or twice a year. Some students believe that, although Wayland is a safe town, these drills are essential to practice.

“Although the town is very safe, I still believe that it is very important to practice these drills just in case something horrible [happens],” Getz said.