STUDENTS, staff, and parents throughout Australia will walk, ride, scoot, or skate to school later this month as part of an initiative promoting active transport.<\/p>\n
National Ride2School Day was established by Bicycle Network and the program is expected to see more than 350,000 kids participating on Friday, 24 March.<\/p>\n
CEO Alison McCormack said the initiative has been showing primary students the benefits in active transport since 2006.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen children have actively travelled, they\u2019re healthier but they\u2019re actually ready to learn better,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s actual statistics out there that tell us it\u2019s better than eating breakfast and once you put that context into that I think parents would think \u2018why shouldn\u2019t I give this opportunity to my children?\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Teachers and kids at Newington Primary School will participate in the program for the first time this month, and grade 5 student Tom Shillington said he\u2019s excited to get involved.<\/p>\n
\u201cRiding to school always feels so nice and I think you\u2019re doing a good thing by helping the environment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI ride to school most days coming down from Vic Park. My mum rides with me part of the way. It\u2019s always important to plan out which way you\u2019re going to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Teacher, Shauna Hardy is leading the program at Newington Primary and said it\u2019ll provide a springboard to lobby for safer infrastructure.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no footpaths, no crossing,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re hoping National Ride2School Day and our accompanying bike workshop will help our campaign to get the ball rolling on something.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
STUDENTS, staff, and parents throughout Australia will walk, ride, scoot, or skate to school later this month as part of an initiative promoting active transport. National Ride2School Day was established by Bicycle Network and the program is expected to see more than 350,000 kids participating on Friday, 24 March. CEO Alison McCormack said the initiative […]<\/p>\n