 Shoshana Brackett/SDN By SHOSHANA BRACKETT
Starkville Daily News
Students came out in droves Tuesday morning to participate in two coinciding Walk to School Day events.
The events kicked off Starkville’s Safe Routes to Schools initiative and raised awareness about the need for such routes.
“Although the structural improvements have not been made yet, we are walking a modified route this year to grow support of Safe Routes to School, to highlight the health benefits of walking and to raise awareness of the need for additional sidewalks and the creation of bike lanes,” said Lois Connington, walk organizer.
The initiative — a joint venture among the Starkville in Motion group, the Starkville School District and the City of Starkville — received a $281,000 grant to make structural improvements along a corridor that runs north-south through Starkville and along the west side of Ward-Stewart Elementary, Henderson Intermediate and Armstrong Middle schools.
The funding will provide sidewalk extensions and bike lane striping along the route, including on Long Street, Highway 182 and Whitfield Street. Funding also covers a multipurpose path along the west side of the Ward-Stewart/Henderson complex that will reduce travel time for students at those schools.
The Walk to School Day was coordinated in recognition of October’s designation as International Walk to School Month.
A total of 123 students arrived early Tuesday and walked to either the Ward-Stewart/Henderson schools complex or to Armstrong Middle School.
At the north end of town, students started at J.L. King Park and walked about 12-minutes from the park, eastbound along Highway 182 and up to the front of the Henderson building.
The north route walk saw 48 Henderson students, 25 Ward-Stewart students and four Sudduth Elementary School students. Adults included 14 parents; school teachers, staff and administrators; and assistant superintendents Judy Couey and Dr. Walter Gonsoulin.
Ward-Stewart Principal Denise Rowan led the procession, and Henderson Principal Timothy Bourne greeted the walkers as they arrived on campus.
“The kids had a great time carrying signs and sharing them with passing motorists,” Connington said. “We also got a lot of looks from bus drivers and their riders.”
To reach AMS, students gathered at the park on the corner of Whitfield Street and Avenue of Patriots and walked a 13-minute route along Whitfield to the school.
Forty-six AMS students participated, with three riding bikes.
The school was also represented by four teachers, AMS Principal Bob Fuller, Alderman Matt Cox, Supt. Phil Burchfield and Beverly Lowry, Child Nutrition director.
The AMS group was joined by Cookie Leffler, state Safe Routes to School coordinator in the Mississippi Department of Transportation.
“I think it’s fantastic,” said Leffler. “I think it’s going to shine some light definitely on the infrastructure issues.”
The events also highlighted the need for community support for Safe Routes to School and the bigger picture, she said.
“Hopefully it will get people to start thinking about walking and biking,” Leffler said.
With the price of a barrel of oil up to $88, Leffler said more people will probably start thinking of transportation options other than automobiles.
“Hopefully the kids will have fun, and they can see they can spend more time with their friends,” Leffler said shortly before the walk to AMS began.
For Burchfield, Safe Routes to School plays into the new state focus on physical and health education and the benefits exercise and good nutrition have on student performance.
“I think where it will play a big part for us,” said Burchfield, “is students who are typically arriving at school in a daze will get to class alert and ready to learn.”
Burchfield also noted that the district is especially concerned for student safety.
“As the city addresses sidewalks, parents will be more comfortable letting their kids walk,” he said.
Students at AMS had mostly social reasons for walking Tuesday morning.
“We wanted to walk with our friends,” said Chandler Buntin, a seventh grader who walked with a group of friends.
“I could walk to school every morning, but my mom doesn’t want me to walk by myself and my friends don’t get up early,” said Victoria Hearn, a seventh-grader.
Hearn, who lives in Green Oaks Subdivision, said she does walk home sometimes.
Fuller said he expects the completed route to be well-used by students.
For eighth graders Austin Kinard and Mark Morgan, Tuesday morning was no different than any other as they rode their bikes alongside the walkers.
Kinard and Morgan, who live near the park on Whitfield Street, ride most mornings to school and said it is more fun and quicker than walking.
Participating SIM representatives were pleased with the two Walk to School Day events.
“I’m just thrilled that we had such a great response,” said Ron Cossman, SIM representative. “It sort of points out the need for Safe Routes to School in Starkville.”
“The children walking today are proof of it,” he said. |
