Ocean Road School Students in Point Pleasant Urged to Walk To School Today, Every Day

“When we were kids, we walked five miles to school, uphill both ways ...”

So goes the saying older folks typically whip out when kids begin complaining about having to walk somewhere.

These days, children are far less likely to walk to school, for a variety of reasons -- time crunch, traffic, lack of sidewalks, convenience.

International Walk to School Day and its organizers aim to change that trend, and students at Ocean Road School in Point Pleasant have taken that to heart, participating in the event this morning.

“We believe it is especially meaningful this year, since the Point Pleasant Council has recently adopted a ’Complete Streets’ policy, pledging to make our town more bike and pedestrian friendly for the future,” said Grace Hagemeyer, the Ocean Road School event’s organizer.

Ocean Road School students were asked to sign a “pledge” that they are going to walk toschool (or their bus stop), and one student won a police escort to school with Point Pleasant D.A.R.E. Officer Kevin Aurin.

Students also participated in a “WalktoSchool” Scavenger Hunt, where they identified different people and things they saw as they walked to school, and answered questions about traffic safety, and they had the opportunity to win a new bicycle donated by Point Bikes on Bridge Avenue.

International Walk to School Day started in 1997, as a way to encourage school children to walk to school, to promote healthier lifestyles, a cleaner environment and a boost a sense of community. This year, children from more than 40 countries participated.

Leading up to Wednesday morning’s Walk To School Day event, third-graders were treated to a presentation on bicycle and pedestrian safety, and students throughout the school received bookmarks, fliers and reflective bracelets reminding them and their parents of the best and safest ways to bike andwalk around town.

In conjunction with “Walk toSchool Day”, Ocean Road also is holding a “Walk-a-Thon” during the school day where kids walk around the the field to raise money for the Ocean Road PTO.

“We try to get everyone moving on this day!” Hagemeyer said.

(PHOTO: Second-graders John Brennan and Mailon Kent show off their pride in walking to school at Ocean Road School’s Walk to School Day Wednesday morning. Credit: Laura Rosso-Brennan)