The Maurice Hawk Elementary School mascot and Principal Denise Mengani, right, lead the way during the walk marking International Walk to School Day. Staff photo by Mark Czajkowski

WEST WINDSOR — About 130 parents and students gathered Wednesday morning in West Windsor to walk to Maurice Hawk Elementary School as part of International Walk to School Day.

   Participants gathered at the township municipal building, where they were joined by volunteers, police and township officials. The group walked together to the school, picking up more parents and students along the way, said Chris Scherer, volunteer for the West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance.

   ”The end goal is to actually get kids to walk from home to school … getting them thinking in that direction,” he said.

   It is the third year that the alliance, a nonprofit organization that promotes bicycle and pedestrian safety and access, has organized the event.

   ”Each year it’s gotten bigger and better,” he said.

Encouraged by a slogan on the sidewalk, students and their parents, about 130 in all, head to Maurice Hawk Elementary School on Wednesday morning. Staff photo by Mark Czajkowski

   In addition, parents and children gathered separately in neighborhoods to form “walking school buses,” which are groups of students that walk together to school with a couple parents or guardians for safety, Mr. Scherer said.

   ”They pick it up as they would a school bus, except they’re walking,” he said, adding that it is a way for children whose parents can’t accompany them walk to school with supervision.

   Once at the school, participants learned about safety and how to form a walking school bus, he said. Students did an activity, signed a banner, and received stickers, while volunteers gave parents surveys to determine if walking is right for their situation.

   The alliance was created in 2006 by members of the defunct Mayor’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force.

The West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance Sponsors Walk to School Day at Maurice Hawk Elementary School to celebrate International Walk to School Day on October 8, 2008

Maurice Hawk Elementary School in West Windsor will be joining schools from around the world to celebrate International Walk to School Day on October 8, 2008 for Walk to Hawk.   

Students, their parents and staff along with members of the West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance (WWBPA), will meet at the West Windsor Township Municipal building and walk as a group to the school. They will be assisted by the West Windsor Township Police Department and municipal officials.  The group will gather at 8:15 a.m. and begin walking to school 8:30 a.m.  

In addition, parents and children will also form “walking school buses” to walk directly to school in groups from surrounding neighborhoods. When all groups reach the school they will have an assembly organized by the school and the WWBPA. .

Walk to School events work to create safer routes for walking and bicycling and emphasize the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, concern for the environment and building connections between families, schools and the broader community.

In the U.S., International Walk to School Day is expected to include 5,000 schools from all 50 states. Walkers from the U.S. will join children and adults in 40 countries around the world.

The Walk to Hawk event is being organized by the West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance (WWBPA), a not for profit organization promoting access, mobility and safety for bicyclists and pedestrians within West Windsor Township and to other communities. Parents, students and teachers interested in learning more about coordinating a walking school bus or other safe route to school can visit the resources on this Web site or the following Web sites:

For more information, visit the WWBPA Web site at www.wwbpa.org, email the WWBPA at wwbikeped@gmail.com, or call Chris at (609) 397-8589.