Nov. 27, 2007
Contact: Jim McIntyre, Public Information Coordinator, (480) 312-7607
Desert Canyon Elementary School and Scottsdale team up
for Walk And Bike To School Day this Friday
Desert Canyon Elementary School and the city of Scottsdale have joined forces to participate in a Walk and Bike To School Day on Friday, Nov. 30, at the school, 10203 E. McDowell Mountain Ranch Road in Scottsdale.
Kids and parents start their walk from various points around the local neighborhood. Students will begin arriving at the school between 7:45 and 8:10 a.m. before classes begin at 8:15 a.m. Principal Sally Norton said, “We are very supportive of this kind of event and encourage our students to walk and bicycle with their parents this Friday.”
Terri Young, Desert Canyon’s physical education teacher, is the school’s coordinator of the event and she is promoting the benefits of physical activity to her students. Young said, “This is a fun way to encourage students to get fit and a great method to make them more aware of their environment and their community.”
The city is providing support to school organizers as well as pedometers and coloring books as incentives for student participation.
Since last August, the city’s Transportation Department has been encouraging schools in the community to participate in a Walk and Bike to School Day. Desert Canyon took the challenge to demonstrate the benefits of these activities for their event on Friday. Physical activity promotes good health while teaching children safety rules for pedestrians and cyclists. Walking to school with neighbors creates strong communities that are helpful, caring, healthier and safer. It also ties in with the city’s Safe Routes To School program and benefits the community by reducing traffic congestion, especially in school drop-off and pick-up rush hours. And with fewer vehicles, air and noise pollution can be reduced.
For more information, please visit these Web sites: International Walk to School in the USA, www.walktoschool.org, National Center for Safe Routes to School, www.saferoutesinfo.org, and International Walk to School, www.iwalktoschool.org.