Students rode their bikes to school and also walked to celebrate National Walk & Bike to School Day on Oct 8. The event was a great success to promote more physical activity for kids so that they can avoid health problems that accompany long term inactivity and be better scholars now - one of the proven benefits of physical activity.
To help support the activity, Clif Kid donated kits to the elementary schools that include healthy snacks, reflective stickers, banners and teacher resources.
Participating schools encourage students (and families) to walk and bike to school, and may host alternative activities such as a Zumba class and an outdoor run around the school. In most schools, the Physical Education teachers are taking the lead in encouraging students to be active and walk or bike to school.
Several schools also host bike rodeos and bike clubs. Cleveland Heights Bicycle Police Officers help with the bike rodeos and Heights Bicycle Coalition volunteers co-lead the bike clubs with District PE teachers.
Students at the High School and Monticello Middle School
Nearly 20 percent of students at Gearity Professional Development School
walked to school on October 8.
The CH-UH District, the City of Cleveland Heights and the Heights Bicycle Coalition also have an ongoing partnership in applying for and using Federal Safe Routes to School funds. The funds are used for infrastructure improvements to improve walkability, cycling access and for educational materials for students.
“An active community is a healthy community,” said Cleveland Heights City Council member and Heights Bicycle Coalition President Mary Dunbar. “This partnership is great because we are involving our future citizens in healthy activities and working to make our streets more welcoming to walkers and bicyclists.”