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International Bike & Walk to School Day, Oct. 8 |
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Monday, 10 November 2008 |
Murchison Elementary, Pflugerville, TX
Bike and Walk to School Day PflugervilleDocia Craft and Melissa Malinowski are the energetic Physical and Heath Educators at Murchison Elementary in Pflugerville, Texas. They are movers and shakers in the classroom and in the community. Docia is also a SuperCyclist Certified Teacher and a champion for bicycle safety education. So when they invited Texas Bicycle Coalition to participate in their International Walk to School Day celebration, we jumped at the chance! We arrived at Murchison Elementary on the morning of October 8, ready to fit helmets to the children.
The event was a great success! Judging by the steady stream of walkers and biker passing our helmet fitting station, the estimate of 500 students walking or biking to school became a reality.
The grand finale of the trip was dedicated to "Fitness Heroes" -
athletes and coaches from the nearby middle and high schools, giving
autographs and encouragement to the elementary students. The
superintendent, Charles Dupree, and School Board members were present
to greet the students as well.
The event demonstrated how walking and biking to school gives children
a sense of freedom and responsibility. By enjoying the fresh air,
children arrive alert, refreshed and ready to start their day.
International Bike and Walk to School Day is the Encouragement
component of the Five Es of the Safe Routes to School (SR2S) program.
(The others are Education, Enforcement, Engineering, and Evaluation.)
Many successful SR2S programs began with just one or two volunteers
organizing a Walk and Bike to School Day, using the energy generated
from a single event to build a SR2S program. A successful SR2S program
integrates health, fitness, traffic relief, environmental awareness,
and safety under one program. It is an opportunity to work closely with
your school, your community, and your local government to create a
healthy lifestyle for children and a safer, cleaner environment for
everyone. Browse our website for more information on SR2S.
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