Published in the October 1, 2015 edition.
WAKEFIELD — On Wednesday, Oct. 7, students from Wakefield will join others from around the world to celebrate International Walk to School Day.
Approximately 400 students from the Dolbeare School alone will be walking and rolling to school on Wednesday. The event will begin with kids, and parents walking from home. Walkers and bicyclists will arrive at the school between 8:20 and 8:40 a.m. Other special activities associated with the walk include the announcement of the coveted “Golden Sneaker Award” to the class with the most participants and every student that walks or bikes will receive a sticker and book bag reflector.
Walk to School Day events raise awareness of the need to create safer routes for walking and bicycling and emphasize the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion and concern for the environment. The events build connections between families, schools and the broader community.
The event at the Dolbeare is supported by the Dolbeare PTO.
For additional local information, please contact the Wakefield Public School Superintendent – Dr. Kim Smith at 781-246-6400.
Walk to School Day 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.
In May 2006, the National Center for Safe Routes to School was established to assist communities in enabling and encouraging children to safely walk and bike to school.
The National Center for Safe Routes to School serves as the national coordinating agency for Walk to School activities in the United States.
Walk to School Day began as a simple idea – children and parents, school and local officials walking to school together on a designated day. It is an energizing event, reminding 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. Schools focus on health, safety, physical activity and concern for the environment.
Organizations supporting International Walk to School Day in the United States include America Walks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Highway Administration, the Institute of Transportation Engineers, the National Center for Safe Routes to School, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Safe Kids Worldwide and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.
