Gwin Elementary to participate in International Walk to School Day

Everybody’s walking — to school that is.

About 550 students from Gwin Elementary will be walking to school on Oct. 8 in celebration of the international event Walk to School Day.

The event is meant to raise awareness of the need to create safer routes for walking and bicycling and will begin with Gwin students and parents walking to school from their homes. In an effort to emphasize the importance of increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion and concern for the environment, all students will be able to participate even if they are bus riders.

Students in grades three through five who ride the bus or cannot safely walk to school will walk the track once they arrive at school, and parents are welcome to participate with their child as well. Students in kindergarten to second grade will walk the track during their P.E. class. All students who participate will receive a shoe charm.  

Walk to School Day began as the simple idea of children, parents, school and local officials walking to school together to remind everyone of the simple joy of walking to school, the health benefits of regular daily activity and the need for safe places to walk and bike.

It was established in the United States in 1997 by the Partnership for a Walkable America. Canada and Great Britain already had walk to school programs in place. In 2000, these three countries joined together to create International Walk to School Day.

For more information, visit www.walkbiketoschool.org, www.saferoutesinfo.org or www.iwalktoschool.org.