Record International Walk & Roll to School Day Turn Out

WE DID IT!

Over 12,000 students participated in Sonoma County's 2014 International Walk & Roll to School Day event - a record turnout!

Our bicycling/rolling numbers significantly increased this year as well. Many schools encouraged cycling by organizing "Bike Trains" or bicycling meet-up points. At Brooks Elementary in Windsor, 64 students bicycled to school - the majority of them meeting and bicycling together from the Windsor Town Green, along with PE Teacher Laurel Green and several parent volunteers. At Sonoma Mountain Elementary in Petaluma, 114 students bicycled from a meet-up point via a cycling path to school. Five schools reported more than 75 bicyclists/rollers, including Hahn Elementary in Rohnert Park (101), Prestwood in Sonoma (100), Healdsburg Elementary (100), Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts (82) and Washington School in Cloverdale (77). Another seven schools reported more than 50 bicyclists/rollers: Monte Vista Elementary (73), Madrone Elementary (69), St. Francis Solano in Sonoma (64), Elsie Allen High School (60), Santa Rosa French American Charter School (60), Proctor Terrace Elementary (60), JX Wilson Elementary in Santa Rosa (54), and Windsor Middle School (53).

Of course, International Walk & Roll to School Day isn't just about bicycling. Thousands of students walked to school, some in large "Walking School Bus" groups, some with parents or on their own. At Saint John the Baptist School in Healdsburg, students met at the park and were encouraged to wear funny hats. They carried their school flag and awarded a prize to the class with the highest participation.  Approximately 36% of Sonoma County students at participating schools either walked or rolled to school on October 8th, with seventeen schools reporting over 50% participation. Lincoln Elementary School in Santa Rosa had the highest percentage participation at 96%.

Whether students bicycled, walked, scootered, or skateboarded, kids across Sonoma County were smiling, enjoying the beautiful Fall weather, getting exercise, and decreasing their carbon footprint on the earth. If participating students walked or rolled an average of one mile each to/from school on October 8th, we prevented over 23,000 pounds of CO2 emissions from going into the atmosphere and saved or received benefits of over $108,000.00!*

*www.mobikefed.org/savingscalculator

 

Here are a couple more things we think you should know:

1) Did you have a Walk & Roll to School Day without registering through www.sonomasaferoutes.org? There's still time! If your school participated, we want to hear about it so we can have an accurate count of all the participants in Sonoma County. So, if you didn't already do so, please report your school participation to saferoutes@bikesonoma.org.

2) Keep encouraging active and alternative transportation this school year! ...as well as educating your students about how to do so safely. Resources & consulting are available through the Sonoma County Safe Routes to School program if you are a K-8 school or through the EC02School program if you are a High School - contact saferoutes@bikesonoma.org for more information.