MARSHFIELD (WAOW) -
It's national Walk/Bike to School Day, and that had students
in our area hitting the sidewalks on the way to class.
Despite the foggy and chilly morning, students in Marshfield
got ready to head to school. But they weren't doing it on a bus.
"Each year we've built the number of kids we've had coming,"
Grant Elementary School Teacher Donna Smith said.
About 400 students tied up their shoelaces and headed to
Grant Elementary School for Walk to School Day.
"It gets people active," Grant Elementary School student
Parker Weik said.
And organizers say that's the point.
"Promoting healthy lifestyles in our school and our
district," Smith said.
But it's not just students in Marshfield who were walking—it's
a nationwide campaign.
"Teaching kids that being fit is fun and fitness does
directly impact their learning in a positive way," Smith said.
Parents agree—they say the initiative is a great idea to get
children moving.
"Besides recess, to do other everyday things like walking
and bike riding," parent Kristin Lieberman said.
"The kids see what's happening in the news and see other
kids all across the country that are doing activities like ours today and
making that connection to that too," Smith said.
And it's certainly quite a sight to see.
"Seeing a row of students that's three-four blocks long as
we walk down Walnut Street to school, so it's a pretty amazing sight to see,"
Smith added.
Organizers say it's all in an effort to get more students
outside and active.
"Really trying to establish a lifestyle change instead of
just a one day event," Marshfield City Planner Josh Miller said.
That's an initiative that's being encouraged all month long.
As students walk or bike to class, they could win a new
bicycle as part of the month long challenge. More than 4,000 schools across the
country participated in today's event.
