D20 elementary schools participates in National Walk to School Day

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- District 20 parent Rebecca Wilson saw an opportunity and went for it. After learning online that National Walk to School Day was approaching, she decided to make it a community event in Colorado Springs.

“You know, just that spirit of belonging, especially with missing out on so much, I think parents are really eager and excited to be part of something like this,” Wilson says.

“It’s a great opportunity to spend those first few minutes with your kids in the morning.”

National Walk to School Day takes place on October 6. Many Southern Colorado students walk and bike to school, but more often than not, they're doing so alone or with a friend or two.

Wilson molded the event, which D20 had not participated in recently, to include parents. Not only did this give her the chance to walk her own kids to school, but for others to plan their day to be able to do so with their children, as well.

“After talking with some of the parents, it seemed like something they hadn’t participated in,” Wilson said.

National Walk to School Day events come in all sizes; the important thing is that they resonate with what families, schools, and communities care about: from encouraging physical activity and building community to highlighting the need for improved infrastructure.

For parents in Southern Colorado, it was an opportunity to take back something they miss out on nearly every day.

“I think on a normal day, there’s a lot of walkers and bikers, but this is more than I thought would come together," Wilson says. "So it’s been a great turnout and a great community-building opportunity."

Woodmen-Roberts Elementary School and Explorer Elementary School participated in the national holiday.