Many local students will participate Wednesday in the international Walk to School Day in an effort to raise awareness of the need for safe walking and biking facilities and to encourage students to take steps toward leading a healthier lifestyle.
Walk to School Day is observed throughout the world, with more than 40 countries participating. Bartlesville Public School District students at seven BPSD sites are encouraged to walk or bike to school on Wednesday. Each student who walks or bikes to school that day will receive a prize to acknowledge their participation in the program. Parents are encouraged to drop students who live too far away to walk or bike to school off a few blocks from their school so they can participate.
Walk to School Day was first held communitywide in Bartlesville in 2009, thanks to a grant awarded by Oklahoma Department of Transportation to the City of Bartlesville to help facilitate the event.
“The program has been very successful,” said City of Bartlesville Grants Administrator Nancy Warring. “More than 3,000 students participated last year. We expect a large number again this year.”
Warring said all BPSD elementary schools and Madison Middle School are participating in the event.
Volunteers and local officials will be posted at each participating BPSD site to greet students who walk or bike to school. Included in the line-up are Rep. Earl Sears at Madison Middle School, Mayor Tom Gorman at Kane Elementary School and Rep. Travis Dunlap at Jane Phillips Elementary School.
For more information about the event, see www.walkbiketoschool.org.