MoCo Celebrates Walk To School Events In Silver Spring, Bethesda

SILVER SPRING, MD — On Wednesday, Montgomery County students will join thousands of kids across the country for the 23rd annual "National Walk to School Day." Observed on the first Wednesday of October, Walk to School Day seeks to promote the health and environmental benefits of walking to school.

"Walk to School Day inspires schools and entire communities to celebrate safety, health and active transportation," said Nancy Pullen-Seufert, director of the National Center for Safe Routes to School, the coordinating agency for the event. "Participation increases every year, which is quite an impressive legacy of people coming together with the common goal of starting children on the right foot so they can thrive for years to come."

This year, more than 4,000 schools in all 50 states and Washington D.C. have registered Walk to School Day events on walkbiketoschool.org, according to officials.

On Wednesday, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation will join the staff and students of Arcola Elementary School in Silver Spring to highlight the county's participation in the nationwide event.

Among those participating in Walk to School Day will be MCDOT Deputy Director Chris Conklin,Arcola Elementary Principal Emmanuel Jean-Philippe, county council member Will Jawando, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service.

"National Walk to School Day is a time when we recommit ourselves to creating a more walkable community and raising awareness around pedestrian safety," said County Council President Nancy Navarro.

Arcola Elementary School is located at 1820 Franwall Ave. The walk will start around 8:50 a.m.

Schedule of Walk to School Day Events at Arcola Elementary School:

• 8:30 – 8:45 a.m.: Volunteers will be in the vicinity of the school with posters, stickers and giveaways to distribute to children as they walk to school.
• 8:30 a.m.: Volunteers will meet students at school bus stops to encourage them to walk to school. Volunteers have been designated along routes so that all students are monitored. Departure time will be approximately 8:50 a.m.
• 9:10 a.m.: Officials will greet children with giveaways as they arrive in front of the school.
• 9:30 a.m.: Pre-K-second graders will gather outside of the school for a safety presentation with Montgomery County Fire Rescue.
• 10 a.m.: Grades 3-5 will assemble in the auditorium for a brief safety presentation and remarks.

There will be another Walk to School Day event at Bethesda Elementary School, located at 7600 Arlington Rd. County council member Andrew Friedson will be joining that walk.

Click here to learn more about Walk to School Day events in Montgomery County.