Walking to school takes on national importance on Wednesday

Children from all 50 states will be walking to school on Wednesday, Oct. 4, for "International Walk to School Day." 2006 is the 10th anniversary of the event which started with one school in Chicago and now has grown to more than 5,000 schools in the United States.

Janine Machholz, principal of Northwest Elementary School in Marshall, said a number of her students walk or ride bicycles to school but she thinks that encouraging students to walk is a good idea.

"As a school district we are on a new wellness program and we encourage as much activity as students are able to do, and walking to school would be one way to help with that," Machholz said.

Machholz also said that the safety of the students is also very important and urges all parents and motorists to pay attention and exercise caution when driving in the morning and the afternoon near schools.

"Our kids don't always look when they cross," Machholz said.

Governor Matt Blunt encourages Missouri parents and caregivers to walk their children to school and show them safe and appropriate pedestrian behavior.

"Walking to school can have many benefits for our children," Blunt said in a statement. "It gives our children much needed physical activity, a time to enjoy the outdoors and time to visit with friends before the school day begins. I encourage communities across the state to raise awareness of the benefits of walking to school by participating in Walk to School Day."

Blunt would like participants to remember these safety tips when walking:

-- Use the pedestrian crosswalks or cross at an intersection if no crosswalk exists

-- Obey signs and signals. Traffic signals are for everyone using the road, not just drivers.

-- Stop at the curb and look left-right-left before crossing. Walk, don't run.

-- Be alert. Don't assume a vehicle is going to stop for you. The driver may not be paying attention or might not see you.

--Walk on sidewalks when possible. If you must walk in the street, walk single file, face traffic and stay as close to the edge of the road as you can.

-- Don't enter the roadway from between parked cars or from behind shrubs or bushes.

On the Net:

www.walktoschool.org

Contact Zach Sims at

marshallbusiness@socket.net