This fun Walk to School event started off as a one-time event in October of 2016 to promote safe walks to school during National Walk to School Week. Cross walks were painted all along Las Plumas Avenue and signs were posted to indicate them. Two years later, UC CalFresh is so happy to be a part of this monthly event that promotes movement and a safe walkable community! Classes compete for the coveted golden shoe. Points are earned by the number of laps students run or walk and bonus points if they walked to school, ate breakfast, or had a parent participate.
Each month, students, staff, and family members at Oakdale Heights Elementary in Oroville continue to celebrate National Walk to School Day with school-wide participation in Walk to School events. These events are filled with music, dance, smiles, and movement. An estimated 300 youth and adults participate regularly in the monthly events which promote community engagement and physical activity, and support the Safe Routes to School initiative.
For more information about Safe Routes to School, CLICK HERE.
One unintended consequence of the Walk to School events was that school food service staff reported a decline in school breakfast participation by students on mornings when Walk to School events occurred. To mitigate this issue, UC CalFresh Butte Cluster responded by partnering with the school food service staff to incentivize participation in the school breakfast program by awarding points to walkers who ate breakfast in the cafeteria the morning of the event. As a result of these efforts, more students ate breakfast and food service staff reported an improvement in their breakfast participation rates. Points were awarded for classroom participation in the Walk to School event. Over 100 points were awarded to the classroom that had the highest number of participating students in Walk to School who also ate breakfast in the cafeteria. UC CalFresh Butte Cluster, Butte County Public Health, and Butte County Public Works have a history of collaboration and support for monthly Walk to School events at Oakdale Heights Elementary. Participation by students and families has increased over time and has become a consistently scheduled signature event at Oakdale Heights Elementary School. The California Highway Patrol and El Medio Fire Department also support and attend the monthly event providing education and community outreach to students, families and school faculty and staff.
If your school is interested in obtaining more information to begin implementing this great monthly event, contact Rita Palmer rpalmer@ucanr.edu.
Oakdale Heights next Walk to School Event is scheduled to take place on Friday, April 13th.
