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One hundred and fifteen students, parents and volunteers of Pomaikai Elementary School walked to the Kahului school on Oct. 3 as part of the school's Walking School Bus Program, hosted by Blue Zones Project-Central Maui.
A walking school bus is a group of children walking to school together. For elementary students, the group is accompanied by one or more adults. It can be as informal as a few families doing a "carpool" without a car or as formal as a mapped out walking route with regular meeting points, times and volunteers.
Laksmi Abraham, community program manager of the Blue Zones Project said, "We are delighted to host Pomaikai's first-ever Walking School Bus in an effort to help kids and parents incorporate more movement into their day. As Blue Zones Project continues to work to transform Central Maui into a healthier, happier community, we hope more schools will adopt the practice of encouraging ways to get kids walking and moving naturally to better health. We hope this is only the beginning."
For the event, two walking routes, each less than a mile long, were created with the help of the County of Maui's Safe Routes to School Program.
Kurt Watanabe, Safe Routes to School coordinator and civil engineer, said, "County of Maui is committed to making walking and biking to school safer and more appealing, so people are encouraged to practice a healthier, more active lifestyle from an early age. Creating these habits early in life are key to transforming communities towards better health."
Students who live farther than walking distance can choose to join the walking school buses at certain prearranged meeting places. For older children or neighborhoods with safe bike routes, students can form a bicycle train with an adult chaperone or without (for middle or high school students).
Thirty years ago, 60 percent of elementary school students in America walked to school. Now, less than 15 percent of elementary kids walk to school. Research shows that children who walk to school are more alert and ready to learn. Walking to school also reduced traffic congestion around schools.
Kate Welch, arts integration curriculum coordinator and coach at Pomaikai Elementary School, said, "At Pomaikai we strive for whole child wellness. The Walking School Bus provided students an opportunity to be active, socialize with their peers and celebrate wellness. We are so grateful Blue Zones Project brought this incredible program to our school."