Walking groups met at five intersections less than a half-mile from campus before walking to school. Organizers said it was a great opportunity to promote healthy, safety and eco-friendly habits.
“The idea is get kids outside exercising, get parents to realize that if we get kids in a group walking, we [can] see how safe it is,” said Karin Lunsford, a R.D. White Elementary parent and organizer of the event. “Maybe awareness out there will be more focused toward safety and drivers will be more concerned about what they’re doing around schools.”
Walk to School Day underscored new district-wide safety measures like tall green cones that indicate a safe drop-off and pick-up zones. The day had been done in previous years, but carried extra emphasis because of four accidents at school sites last year that included one fatality, Lunsford said.
Leading up to Walk to School Day, science teachers explored the environmental benefits of walking, and English teachers proposed writing assignments on the subject. Glendale Unified School District has a character education emphasis that promotes themes that were reflected by Walk to School Day, Assistant Principal Juanita Shahijanian said.
“We talk about responsibility and respect, and part of responsibility is being responsible for the environment and the community,” she said. “Teachers are tying together the Earth, environment and responsibility into what we’ve done.”
But Maxwell Gonzalez, a third-grader, said his friends were not jealous that he walks to school.
“No one walks to school with me except my mom,” he said.
His mother, Cheryl, said the neighborhood around R.D. White is a big walking area and many families walk their children to school.
Alicia Flamenco, a parent, said she tries to walk her carpool to school, but often drives. Her daughter, Leslie, said walking is good for the environment.
