Sallisaw Parents, Students ‘Walk to School’

Liberty and Eastside Elementary students and their parents participated in Sallisaw’s first 

Walk to School Day Thursday morning. 

Sallisaw School students and their parents participated in the school system’s first Walk to School Day on Oct. 4.

Although this was the first Walk to School for Sallisaw Schools, it was the 21st national and annual Walk or Bike to School Day, said Tricia Wall, TSET Healthy Living Program Wellness Coordinator. Wall worked with the County Health Improvement Organization (CHIO), Sallisaw School Superintendent Scott Farmer and Liberty and Eastside Elementary School Principals Toni Jasna and Chad Jasna, respectively, to coordinate and actualize Sallisaw‘s first Walk to School Day. 

Wall said, “The goal of this event was to encourage students, families and faculty to get started on their daily physical activity (30 minutes a day for adults and 60 minutes for kids) by walking to school. Plus, the day highlights the need for policies and projects that support safe, active communities — like sidewalks, bicycle lanes, crosswalks and walking trails.”

Wall marveled over the turn out.

“In spite of the high percentage of rain probability, so many parents and students came out and walked to school with us! It was awesome!” Wall said. “Our hope is that from this experience, conversations on making our community safe to actively live in and increasing healthy options for our community members to participate in, begin and encourage people to speak to our local leaders about concerns and wants.”

Wall said regular physical activity not only helps reduce childhood obesity, it helps strengthen kids’ brains, boost the immune system, improve sleep and reduce stress. Aside from improved physical and mental health, active students also gain improved self-confidence and self-esteem.

For more information about Walk and Bike to School Day and for healthy tips and resources, visit ShapeYourFutureOK.com. Connect with Shape Your Future on Facebook or Twitter (@ShapeFutureOK) to enter contests, share photos and videos, and access other exciting tools.

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

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