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ENLARGE
Led by Oakland High School teacher Tom Hasvold, in yellow vest, children walk and bike to school in Oakland Wednesday. Walk and Bike to School is geared toward encouraging more daily activity.
Forging a path to school
Oakland's seventh-graders were well versed in alternate ways to get to school before “Walk and Bike to School” day Wednesday.
In fact, the act of getting to school isn't the hard part — it's figuring out an infrastructure to make those routes easier and safer.
Ask Hayden Snow and Cora Witten, both 12, about their planned trail and they'll explain that some design wrinkles — such as placing culverts or finding gravel that will compact just right — are still being ironed out.
Work they began with more than 30 classmates is close to moving out of design and into development.
Their teacher, Susan Deery, tasked her sixth-grade students with developing a trail to the Lincoln Middle School, reroute the traffic and improve flow in and out of the campus. But when the project was over, no one was ready to quit.
“When something comes along like this ... they wanted to take it to the next step,” Deery said.
The project earned the school two grants to improve health and safety at Lincoln Middle School — $10,000 from the Northwest Health Foundation for a fleet of 25 bikes, a bike trailer and bike safety education, and an $18,000 grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation's Safe Route to School to build the trail.
The students are psyched about the project, construction of which could begin as early as next week.
“I think it's pretty cool that a bunch of sixth-graders got it done. Now we can set an example,” 12-year-old Brandon Simmons said.
— DD Bixby, The News-Review
In fact, the act of getting to school isn't the hard part — it's figuring out an infrastructure to make those routes easier and safer.
Ask Hayden Snow and Cora Witten, both 12, about their planned trail and they'll explain that some design wrinkles — such as placing culverts or finding gravel that will compact just right — are still being ironed out.
Work they began with more than 30 classmates is close to moving out of design and into development.
Their teacher, Susan Deery, tasked her sixth-grade students with developing a trail to the Lincoln Middle School, reroute the traffic and improve flow in and out of the campus. But when the project was over, no one was ready to quit.
“When something comes along like this ... they wanted to take it to the next step,” Deery said.
The project earned the school two grants to improve health and safety at Lincoln Middle School — $10,000 from the Northwest Health Foundation for a fleet of 25 bikes, a bike trailer and bike safety education, and an $18,000 grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation's Safe Route to School to build the trail.
The students are psyched about the project, construction of which could begin as early as next week.
“I think it's pretty cool that a bunch of sixth-graders got it done. Now we can set an example,” 12-year-old Brandon Simmons said.
— DD Bixby, The News-Review
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ENLARGE
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Oakland School Board member Betsy Dean sets the pace Wednesday as children walk and bike to school in Oakland.
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OAKLAND — Oakland tweens and teens took on the cold weather Wednesday morning as they booked it to school.
Sophia Warren, a 13-year-old eighth-grader, walks to school daily. But she usually takes a different route than the uphill trudge she followed from the downtown city park to Oakland High School's gymnasium, accompanied by fellow Lincoln Middle School students Shalene Walton, 13, and Kayla Rushing, 12.
Walton and Rushing don't walk to school regularly. They jockeyed multiple bags, lunch sacks and Rushing's saxophone.
The trio was joined by other Oakland students participating in the “Walk and Bike to School” day.
“It's way too cold,” each of the girls took turns complaining.
Oakland and three other Douglas County schools — Rose Elementary, Sutherlin High School and Sutherlin West Intermediate School — also participated in the international event.
The event goal is to encourage students and families to get more physical activity.
Undaunted by the crisp fall morning, 10-year-old Maddy Smith was enjoying the event.
“I think it's a great idea to see how good it is to walk and be fit and healthy, and make friends on the way to school,” she said.
Riley Earls packed his skateboard up Third Street. Aside from the bevy of other kids and teachers who stopped traffic along the way, he didn't notice much difference from any other morning.
Oakland High School Divra Perkins helped coordinate the event for the second year. They said students enjoy the event, whether because of the breakfast they get after walking or the assembly that keeps them out of class a few minutes longer. Some students' names were drawn for prizes.
Winners received bicycles repaired by student AJ Nichols, as well as flashing lights, helmets and other get moving-oriented gear.
“They want to do it every month,” Perkins said. Still, she said this year's numbers seemed smaller when compared with last October's effort, perhaps partly due to some high school clubs being away at another event.
With the cooperative walk, students walked about 30 minutes, or half the recommended hour of daily activity.
“It's the exercise that keeps our mind really active,” Oakland Mayor Betty Keehley encouraged the students.
As for the girls chilled from the walk, Walton announced different plans for next year's walk.
“Next year, I'm bringing my horse,” she said.
• You can reach reporter DD Bixby at 957-4211 or by e-mail at dbixby@nrtoday.com.
Sophia Warren, a 13-year-old eighth-grader, walks to school daily. But she usually takes a different route than the uphill trudge she followed from the downtown city park to Oakland High School's gymnasium, accompanied by fellow Lincoln Middle School students Shalene Walton, 13, and Kayla Rushing, 12.
Walton and Rushing don't walk to school regularly. They jockeyed multiple bags, lunch sacks and Rushing's saxophone.
The trio was joined by other Oakland students participating in the “Walk and Bike to School” day.
“It's way too cold,” each of the girls took turns complaining.
Oakland and three other Douglas County schools — Rose Elementary, Sutherlin High School and Sutherlin West Intermediate School — also participated in the international event.
The event goal is to encourage students and families to get more physical activity.
Undaunted by the crisp fall morning, 10-year-old Maddy Smith was enjoying the event.
“I think it's a great idea to see how good it is to walk and be fit and healthy, and make friends on the way to school,” she said.
Riley Earls packed his skateboard up Third Street. Aside from the bevy of other kids and teachers who stopped traffic along the way, he didn't notice much difference from any other morning.
Oakland High School Divra Perkins helped coordinate the event for the second year. They said students enjoy the event, whether because of the breakfast they get after walking or the assembly that keeps them out of class a few minutes longer. Some students' names were drawn for prizes.
Winners received bicycles repaired by student AJ Nichols, as well as flashing lights, helmets and other get moving-oriented gear.
“They want to do it every month,” Perkins said. Still, she said this year's numbers seemed smaller when compared with last October's effort, perhaps partly due to some high school clubs being away at another event.
With the cooperative walk, students walked about 30 minutes, or half the recommended hour of daily activity.
“It's the exercise that keeps our mind really active,” Oakland Mayor Betty Keehley encouraged the students.
As for the girls chilled from the walk, Walton announced different plans for next year's walk.
“Next year, I'm bringing my horse,” she said.
• You can reach reporter DD Bixby at 957-4211 or by e-mail at dbixby@nrtoday.com.
