PARKERSBURG -Hundreds of students and parents laced up their shoes and pounded the pavement Wednesday morning for the annual Walk to School Day.
Families at Jefferson Elementary School and Neale Elementary School took part in the national event that encourages parents and children to become more active by walking to school. Criss Elementary School held its event Tuesday.
"We had about 75-80 percent of our kids participate this morning," said Jefferson nurse Rosemary Scott. "We had teachers handing out walk-to-school stickers. We had 50 coupons for a small Frosty donated by Wendy's. Those were given to the first 50 parents."
Article Photos
Photo provided by Jefferson Elementary Center
Jefferson Elementary Center second-grader Carson Newbanks sports a “Walk to School Day” sticker Wednesday morning while walking on the school track. Several area schools participated in the annual national event that encourages families to be more active.
Scott said students who came to school by bus or who live too far away to walk to school were given the chance to walk on the school's track Wednesday morning.
"They got to walk on the track with their teachers, which they love," she said.
Neale Principal Mike Fling said despite the overcast morning, the school saw good participation in the event.
"We had several families that participated this year," he said. "Our K-Kids were the sponsor this year. They were out in front of the building presenting some 'I Walk' stickers and some flashlights to some of the students, which I thought was really nice."
Fling said participation has become an annual event for the school.
Wood County schools weren't the only ones hitting the pavement Wednesday morning. Students at Wirt County Middle School also were out walking.
Students were let off their buses on Washington Street where teachers and administrators were waiting to walk the short distance to school with them. As the students exited the buses they were handed a motivational bracelet that read "Can't Hide That Tiger Pride!"
Officials said the bracelets were part of a grant funded by the Safe Route to Schools program. Students whose parents bring them to school also participated in the walk by having parents drop them off at the start of the walk.
The event was sponsored by the school's seventh- and eighth-grade physical education classes.
