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| These Castle Dale students walk to school. |
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| Castle Dale principal, Ralph Worthen walks to school from Ferron to encourage his students to participate in fitness activities. |
Three elementary schools from Emery School District participated in National Walk to School Day. Huntington Elementary had three meeting places. The bus students, as well as other students were met by teachers and staff and all walked to school together. Castle Dale Elementary principal Ralph Worthen went the extra mile and walked to school from Ferron, He left his house at 5 a.m. and after walking 11.4 miles, was met by students and they arrived at school at approximately 8:05 a.m. A big banner was there for all students and staff to sign that they had walked to school. Ferron Elementary had the Emery buses drop the students off at the fire station where they were met by teachers, staff and other students and they all walked safely to school. Several parents and other adults also participated.
Walk to School Day is a program that aims to help children and their parents learn that they can walk or bicycle safely to and from school. This gives kids a chance to be more physically active, to practice safe pedestrian skills, and to learn more about the environment. At the same time, we can help people realize that their neighborhoods are safe places to walk.
With childhood obesity on the rise, it is imperative that we teach our youth the importance of physical activity. Walking to school is one way that our students can increase the amount of time they spend being active. Encouraging 15 minutes, or so, of physical activity before and after school is one way we can help get the increasing obesity under control, and to begin to develop health habits that will remain with them into adulthood.
