Community Corner

Students Take to the Streets in First Walk and Bike to School Day

YMCA Director said the pilot effort Thursday is the first step in encouraging others throughout the community to get involved in their own health by leaving the cars behind.

When Kamil Kuziora heard about the Walk and Bike to School Day hosted by Activate Southington Wednesday, he thought, why couldn’t I ride to school?

The DePaolo Middle School sixth-grader, who lives on Queen Street, said he told his mom about the idea and she thought it was a great way to help him get a little extra exercise and have some fun.

“I had seen other kids do it and thought, why couldn’t I?” he said. “It wasn’t hard. I think I might ride the rest of the year as long as the weather is good.”

That change in mentality is something that members of Activate Southington hoped to inspire Thursday morning as they hosted the event as part of the new safe routes to school program.

Students were encouraged to walk or ride in order to develop healthy habits, said YMCA Director John Myers. Meanwhile, a group of about a dozen volunteers asked the kids what the walk was like and asked parents to fill out surveys to determine why others were being dropped off rather than getting exercise.

The area around DePaolo Middle School includes many sidewalks and routes, but the study Thursday found there are challenges that the town will need to overcome to increase participation in healthy practices on a regular basis said Town Manager Garry Brumback.

Brumback, one of the volunteers, said they learned many areas have incomplete sidewalks that need to be addressed to make the walks safer and easier for students.

“We are applying for grants under the state’s safe routes program,” Brumback said. “This is a chance to connect our neighborhoods not only to the school, but to nearby parks. We’ve become to independent on cars and we hope this is the start to getting people throughout the community out and walking more.”

Before the change can be made, Myers and volunteer Diane Botsacos said there are other challenges that need to be overcome. Students cited several reasons for not walking regularly including heavy backpacks, Botsacos said.

“It’s one barrier, but it’s something we can look at,” Myers said. “Ultimately the goal is to affect change that will lead to healthier lifestyles.”


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