News Release
For Immediate Release: October 13, 2009
Contact Person: Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, 301-334-7730
Kitzmiller Elementary School celebrates
International Walk to School Day on October 7, 2009
Walk to School Day: Pictured above, Kitzmiller Elementary School students, principal, teachers, parents and other community leaders met at the post office and walked the remaining distance to the school to participate in International Walk to School Day on October 7th.
The Kitzmiller Elementary School joined schools from around the world to celebrate International Walk to School Day on October 7, 2009.
Buses, cars and walkers…nearly the entire student population along with parents, teachers and community leaders met at the Kitzmiller post office and walked the remaining three tenths of a mile to the school. Students were accompanied by Principal Richard Stevens, Garrett County Board of Education Coordinator of Transportation Bill Ewing, their teachers, Kathy Elliott, Garrett County Health Department Outreach Worker, and Health Department Public Information Officer Diane Lee.
“We thought it was a great way to get everyone thinking about how they can do other things throughout the day to increase their physical activity,” said Principal Stevens. “We can not all walk to school every day, but we can be more active. Our classes participate in walking programs every Tuesday, and the kids love it.”
In the U.S. , International Walk to School Day was expected to include 5,000 schools from all 50 states. Walkers from the U.S. joined children and adults in 40 countries around the world.
“Walk to School Day is a great way to increase the community's awareness of pedestrian safety and the importance of physical activity,” said Elliott, who helped organize the event.
Walk to School events work to create safer routes for walking and bicycling and emphasize the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, concern for the environment and building connections between families, schools and the broader community.
The event was organized by Kitzmiller Elementary School, Garrett County Board of Education, and the Garrett County Health Department. The Kitzmiller Empowerment Group and the school served refreshments to the walkers when they arrive at school.