Yesterday I had a blast with kids from Lewis Elementary in the Woodstock neighborhood of Portland. We were walking and biking at the end of the day. The kids were happy, proud to show off their knowledge about bike safety, and were, well, cute as the dickens.
This basic step — getting our kids to be a bit active — is a critical step in rebuilding our communities, and rebuilding our kids’ health. Parent and community volunteers joined in, and there were smiles all around. The following is a news advisory we sent out.
On Thursday, April 20, kids throughout Portland began walking and biking to and from school in Walk + Bike “School Busesâ€?. Demonstration ‘buses’ will be walking and biking from Lewis Elementary on Thursday, April 20, and walking from Forest Park Elementary on Friday, April 21. The Walk+ Bike School Bus is being launched in 11 Portland schools in a partnership between the City of Portland’s comprehensive Safe Routes to School program, Portland Public Schools’ Student Transportation, and Oregon Walk + Bike to School, a project of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition.
A Walk+ Bike School Bus works like a carpool, but without the car! Parents and other adult volunteer ‘drivers’ and ‘conductors’ lead a group of students to and from school on foot or bike. The “Bus” travels along a predetermined route, picking up participants along the way at designated “bus stopsâ€?.
To assist School Bus coordinators, the Oregon Walk + Bike to School program has created a Walk + Bike to School Bus Guidebook. The Guidebook will be made available at no cost to coordinators statewide.
Oregon Walk + Bike to School will be offering technical advice and assistance to Oregon schools, agencies, groups, kids and parents who would like to begin a Walk + Bike School Bus at their school(s). On April 25, from 6-9pm, the Oregon Walk + Bike to School Committee is sponsoring a coordinator training at videoconference locations statewide.
Learn more about the Walk + Bike School Bus online.
