Candidates Invited To Put Signs Down And Walk to School
Instead of just running for office, politicians are asked to put the campaign on hold and walk with kids to school.
The benefits of walking and other physical activity have been well publicized, yet many children still do not get the one hour or more recommended daily amount of physical activity. Wednesday, Oct. 5, is the 20th聽anniversary of Walk to School Day and is an opportunity to bring awareness to this issue.
Walk to School Day is an international effort to celebrate the benefits of walking and bicycling to school and to encourage more families to get out of their cars and onto their feet. This is especially important given that 40 percent to 45 percent of traffic within a two-mile radius of schools is made up of parents dropping off kids.
In an effort to promote this day and reduce driver distractions, political candidates all around Hawaii are invited to put down their signs for the day, choose a school and walk with our students.
Starting a Walk to School Day event can be as easy as arranging to meet several families at a nearby park to walk together. Biking, skateboarding and roller-skating are also encouraged.
For those who would like to organize a more formal event, such as a walking or bike school bus, there are a number of resources available online:
- The National Center for Safe Routes To School has online registration and planning ideas at ;
- a program created by the NCSFTS, will have competitions during October to motivate students, parents and teachers to walk and bike to school. They provide online tools for tracking physical activities, as well as awards for schools with the highest levels of participation; and
- The , 鈥渁 collaborative campaign committed to helping communities reach their goal of Vision Zero 鈥 eliminating all traffic fatalities and severe injuries,鈥 provides a variety of sample action plans, case studies and reports for political leaders and others interested in improving our transportation system.
According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 11.5 percent of 10- to 17-year-olds and 9.2 percent of 2- to 4-year-olds (from low-income families) are obese.
Let鈥檚 work together to change this. Walking is free, easy and fun. Buddy up with a child and join us in walking to school October 5.
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