Congratulations to all who helped to make Walk and Roll to School Day (WR2SD) a huge success. Whether you celebrated on October 8 or another day, we are grateful for your participation in highlighting the importance of safe, active travel.
The event is important because it offers a chance for the community to take notice of the challenges students face on the school commute. The event is also a reminder of the important work we can do together to remove barriers students face when walking, biking, and rolling to school. Most importantly, the event offers an opportunity for communities to celebrate the joy walking and rolling bring to students, neighborhoods, and schools! The wide variety of WR2SD activities that take place across Michigan is inspiring. For example, local mascots participate, and special remote drop sites for cars and walking school buses make for a fun, social event. At this writing, our registration numbers indicate over 41,000 students from across Michigan participated in local registered events at over 195 schools. This event is a highlight for our staff because we get to leave the office and join in on the fun, and share our reflections with all of you after the official event day.
Colleen Synk, Senior Operations and Evaluation Coordinator
Thurston Elementary Schools, Ann Arbor
The stars aligned for Thurston Elementary School’s fourth Bike Bus of the year to coincide with Walk and Roll to School Day. Families met up at the tennis courts in Sugarbush Park with time to slap on reflective bracelets or install bike light incentives on handlebars and scooter stems for increased visibility. Beyond the starting location, students joined in as we progressed along the predetermined and promoted route. The full ride was an approachable 1.3 miles with strategic stops at intersections that allowed everyone to regroup regardless of skill. Two Bike Bus leaders were positioned at the front and back of the group to direct the group and act as a “sweeper” to make sure no one was left behind. Additionally, a few participating parents helped as a “corker” to hold cross street traffic until the Bike Bus passed through and to guide students at turns where the group didn’t stop.
The Bike Bus had great best practices of group rides in place by having at least one person supporting the bike bus carrying a bike pump and simple supplies in case they were needed. Further, the group was able to keep rolling and get everyone where they needed to be, even when the unexpected happened with a student’s training wheel coming off their bike. A parent with a cargo bike was able to get the student and bike loaded up to continue the trip.
The Bike Bus Guide is a great resource if you’re interested in organizing and learning more about bike buses.
Erin Paskus, Program Coordinator
The James and Grace Lee Boggs School, Detroit
A chilly morning couldn’t dampen the spirits at the James and Grace Lee Boggs School’s Walk and Roll to School Day! Students arrived excited, whether they were walking as part of a new Walking School Bus program, pedaling bikes, or kicking along on scooters. The school’s Safe Routes to School coordinator, Joe Reilly, greeted students as they arrived with a sticker and a smile.
Thanks to a Safe Routes to School Mini Grant, the school’s new mobile bike racks were put to the test – and were nearly full by the time school started! The day was made even more special with support from school partner Luki Bikes, which provided staff on-site to provide free minor bike repairs to the school community. The festivities culminated in a school-wide afternoon bike ride, cementing a day full of active fun.
Max Fulkerson, SRTS Director
Every October, I look forward to visiting a different school in Michigan to participate in their Walk and Roll to School Day (WR2SD) event. It’s an opportunity to see a community celebrate the joy of walking to school with friends, relatives, and neighbors. For some schools, it’s a major event with school mascots, music, refreshments, and escorts from the fire and police departments. For other schools, using active transportation to get to school is just what they regularly do, and the day is no big deal to them. At Michigan Safe Routes to School, we think both situations are commendable. WR2SD is a chance to show what’s possible and what you’ve already accomplished when encouraging students to use active transportation.
This year, my day was different. My plans changed at the last minute when the school I was going to visit had to cancel. The upside was that I got to walk my daughter to her middle school that morning. Within a few minutes, we were walking and talking, and I stopped thinking about what I was missing and started to notice what this experience was offering. We talked about her school, our neighborhood, the deer we saw on the way, and the bad habits of drivers and what to do about them. We used the crosswalk and talked about how to safely navigate the intersection in front of the school. The journey was relaxing thanks to the presence of pedestrian facilities, fresh paint on the road, and clear signage. I walked a mile to start my day. My daughter and I got to spend a little more time together. She showed me her competence to make safe choices near traffic. It was fun for both of us and a great way to connect as we started our day. We are lucky enough to live in a place where this is easy and convenient.
If the community you live in doesn’t make it easy for you to walk or ride from home to school or place to place, please consider exploring the Michigan Safe Routes to School program. When we make it safer for kids to walk and roll to school, we make it safer for everyone.
If you have yet to host a Walk and Roll to School Day event this month and need assistance with planning or have any questions about how to plan the event, contact Erin Paskus for assistance. Our next event is Bike and Roll to School Day on May 6. We hope you’ll help us make this event a success. Registration will open in March.