Students try out scooters of the Montclair Police Department.
It felt like summer on Wed., Oct. 10 as Montclair students and their families celebrated International Walk to School Day.
Hillside students, families and staff arrived on the front lawn on
foot, bikes and scooters to kick off the day in a healthy way. A local
fitness instructor led willing participants in dance exercises to get
the blood flowing and the PTA had a welcome table filled with healthy
snacks, water and a Hillside sign-in poster for students to sign as they
arrived. Members of the Montclair Police Department who arrived on
Segways were on hand to show their support and encourage students to be
more active.
The Partnership for a Walkable America sponsored the first National
Walk Our Children to School Day in Chicago in 1997, modeled after the
United Kingdom’s walk to school events, and communities around the
United States have been celebrating Walk to School Day ever since. The
event was established as “International” in 2000, when Canada and the
U.K. joined with the U.S. to celebrate. Communities and schools use this
day as the first step to change community culture and to create options
for getting around that are more inviting for everyone, both young and
old. Some reasons to support walking and bicycling to school:
- It’s fun — walking and bicycling bring a sense of joy and independence;
- It encourages healthier habits — the trip to school is a chance for
children (and adults) to get the physical activity they need;
- It promotes a cleaner environment — Replacing car trips to school
with walking or bicycling can reduce congestion and air-polluting
emissions;
- It promotes safety and supports neighborhood connections.
