Several local schools will take part in an international initiative that aims to make walking and biking to school safe and fun.

Country Elementary School in Pinckney, Wylie Elementary School in Dexter, South Meadows Elementary School in Chelsea, and State Road Elementary in Fenton will join schoolchildren from around the world to celebrate International Walk to School Day (W2SD) on Wednesday, October 2nd. This year’s theme, “Take a Walk on the Wild Side”, encourages students, parents, teachers, and community leaders to engage in fun, themed activities on their school commute. Nearly 300 schools are signed up to participate, with event efforts coordinated by the Michigan Fitness Foundation’s Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program staff.

Michigan Fitness Foundation President and CEO Amy Ghannam says the number of students walking and biking to school has declined tremendously over the last 50 years, adding that the reasons are many and often complex. Ghannam says participating in W2SD is a simple way for students to get exercise and for communities to develop a culture of walking and biking to school.

MDOT administers the federally legislated SRTS program which is a federal program designed to make it safe, convenient, and fun for children to walk and bike to school. As a component of SRTS programming, W2SD events also highlight the importance of pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, concern for the environment and building connections between families, schools, and the broader community. Events can be as straightforward or as grand as schools want to plan — from simply inviting students to walk to school to hosting a full-blown walking parade.

More information can be found at the link posted below.