Jefferson Students Strut Their Stuff for Walk to School Day

Hundreds of sneaker-clad feet hit the streets this morning as Jefferson School students celebrated International Walk to School Day on October 6, 2010. Kids, teachers and parent volunteers gathered at Orchard Park on Dehart Road at around 8 a.m. Wednesday morning to get ready for the annual event.

School buses dropped kids at the park where they met regular walkers for this pupil parade. Smiles seemed to be part of the casual uniform as each class walked together from the park to the school, via Ridgewood Avenue. Many kids chanted Jefferson cheers and sang popular songs as they marched en masse.

The school participated in the walk as part of a worldwide effort to get kids moving. The purpose of the day is to promote physical activity and improve air quality and the environment. The walk has also shined a spotlight on each town's need to ensure safe routes for walking and bicycling to encourage those modes of transportation over cars and buses. 

According to the iwalk website, communities in all 50 states are part of the nearly three million walkers around the globe who participate. The organizers of the event hope eventually every community will have safe walkable routes to school. More walkers and bikers would help fight the nationwide obesity problem, as well as reduce traffic congestion and emissions.

In many communities, the annual walk has helped bring attention to the need for more sidewalks, sidewalk maintenance, increased signage and traffic enforcement around schools. 

Mild temperatures enhanced the experience and the sun even poked out as the kids gathered in front of Jefferson's doors to recite the Pledge of Allegiance to end the event. This was Principal Susan Grierson's first Walk to School at Jefferson. "It feels good to get outside together. It wakes you up! The kids are invigorated and ready to begin learning for the day."