Coastal Point | IWalk puts students feet to the pavement

IWalk puts students' feet to the pavement

By Laura Ford
Staff Reporter



	Coastal Point • LAURA FORD Lord Baltimore Elementary School students participate in IWALK 2006.

Lord Baltimore Elementary School students put on their walking shoes and participated in IWALK 2006, a part of International Walk to School Month, on Wednesday, Oct. 4.

IWALK is an international event begun by the International Walk to School Steering Committee, a group that promotes walking to school for children around the world, in year 2000. The focus of the global affair is to promote safety, health, concern for the environment and physical activity. Another goal of IWALK is to show that communities are safe places to walk.

The school’s location on Route 26 presented a problem for Lord Baltimore students, however. Principal Janet Hickman said, “You can’t have the kids walk on Route 26. It’s a hazard even in a car.”

And 7-year-old Brandon Horton said he would not choose to walk on the road to get to school. “Cars could hit you!” he said.

So Lord Baltimore decided to take a different approach to the IWALK campaign. They allowed the students to still gain the benefits of event, but instead of walking to school, they walked at school.

Cones marked out the half-mile course that arched around the perimeter of the school and encompassed the playground and Environmental Learning Center.

Physical education teacher Barbara Devine had helped to organize the activity. She said students had been taught the benefits of walking and exercise, as well as walking safety, prior to the IWALK event.

“I think they all really enjoyed it,” said Devine. She said they enjoyed the course so much, they took the walk twice.

Iris Elechko, 7, said she had a good time walking around the school, but was surprised how many students there were. Elechko gave an approximation of “30 hundred” students walking around the school grounds.

At perhaps just a fraction of Elechko’s estimation, the entire body of Lord Baltimore did participate in the walk. Teachers, cafeteria workers and students alike filed into line and paraded like resolute army ants through the course.

Kindergarten teacher Michelle “Mrs. K.” Klinedinst said the event was a huge success. “It was a lovely day and the children really seemed to like it.”

She said the school was granted money from the University of Delaware to put on the event and the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) provided the students with backpack tags, pencils and bookmarks for participating.

Klinedinst also said the walk, while teaching the children about exercise, was a great time to practice staying together in a group while being safe and courteous. And, in addition, it provided the children with the opportunity to see what was back in the Environmental Learning Center, which is usually off-limits during recess.

“It was cool!” said 7-year-old Jackie Ellison about the ELC. “We walked over bridges and there were plants.”

Ellison said she would definitely want to participate in the program again next year. And according to Devine, she may get that opportunity. She said that due to the success of the day, they have hopes to continue participation in IWALK for years to come.