Hundreds In Brockton Join International Walk To School Day

By Lisa E. Crowley
BrocktonPost
BROCKTON—Lao Khang pushed a stroller carrying his preschool son Jordan as he led a group of youngsters including his daughter, third grader Britney and fourth grade niece Cyanne as the group walked to the Kennedy Elementary School for “International Walk to School Day,” which had 97 parents and more than 60 students arrive at school via their feet.
Khang (Pictured at top signing in with neice Cyanne) said it was the first time the family walked the ½ mile or so to their school and pledged to do it as often as they can. Until their pledge to walk to school on Wednesdays—when possible—Britney and Cyanne are usually dropped off at the Kennedy by their uncle.
While they have taken a pledge to participate—Khang held out a caveat.
“It depends on the weather,” Khang said, noting Wednesday’s sunny and 60 degree temperature made it easy for the family to join the estimated 6 million people in 40 countries who shed their automobiles and instead walked to their local schools.
Organizers, including school officials and representatives of the state Department of Transportation hope the worldwide observance will trigger a year-long, and life-long goal of children adding exercise into their daily routine and maybe having some fun along the way.
“It’s a walking school bus,” said Ben Hammer, the DOT’s statewide coordinator for Safe Routes to School, a program through MASS Rides that Brockton helped to pilot. (Hammer, pictured far left in photo below with Kennedy School student Alejandro Alphonse)
Hammer said Brockton has been a lead district in the walking to school
initiative and received a grant three years ago to promote the program.
Jane Feroli, the district’s Specialist for Parent Engagement, who leads numerous outreach initiatives in the district, said five schools —Brookfield, Davis, Downey, Hancock and Kennedy—for the past three years have taken part in the Safe Routes to School on Wednesday Program.
“To date, over 10,000 students at these schools have walked to school on Wednesdays, even sometimes in rain and snow,” Feroli said.
Feroli said 375 students at Brockton's 5 participating schools joined in yesterday's International Walk to School Day.
She said the walk is a great start to the school day because students—and adults—get exercise, fresh air, help reduce harmful emissions from vehicles and have fun talking to family and friends along the way.
“It’s not just about walking to school, it is bonding as a community and creating safe and sustainable practices that can be handed down to other generations,” Feroli said.