April 28 - May 1

Summer vacation is around the corner and safety is a concern for many parents. This year, Safe Kids USA and Safe Kids Worldwide celebrates it’s 20th year of preventing unintentional injury and saving children’s lives. Safe Kids North Shore, a program of MSU Extension-Grand Traverse and Munson Trauma Services, is one of more than 350 coalitions to be holding activities the last week in April to celebrate Safe Kids Week. This year’s theme is “Gear up Games” and is targeted at the “tween” population.

Activities will be held during the lunch hour at Traverse City West Junior High School April 28th through May 1st. These activities will include: fire safety, helmet safety, water safety and pedestrian safety. The week will lead up to the Safe Routes to School Remote Drop Off Day on May 1.

TC West Junior High School has been selected as a pilot middle school/junior high school for the State of Michigan’s Safe Routes to School program. During the 2007-2008 school year, efforts have continued toward developing an action plan to make improvements to the TC West Junior High School community and vicinity which will provide a safe environment for walking and biking to school.

On May 1, 2008, students at Traverse City West Junior High School will have the opportunity to participate in a Remote Drop Off/Walk to School Day. Students who arrive by bus or car will be asked to “Hike Up the Hill” and walk to school, if only for a day. Buses will drop off students who wish to participate along Franke Road at the Service Drive Entrance. Students who are regularly driven to school are encouraged to be dropped off at the tennis courts parking lot. This way, the benefits of walking or biking to school can be provided to all students. Students dropped off at the remote sites will have volunteers along the route to school to ensure safety.

Forty years ago the national average for children walking to school was nearly 50%, today it is closer to 10% nationally and 3% at TC West Junior High School. A desire to walk was expressed by West Junior High student survey respondents, who indicated that if routes to school were improved, 20% said they would walk and 40% said they might.

Safe Routes to School (SR2S) is a national and international movement to make it safe, convenient, and fun for children to walk or bike to school. The benefits of SR2S are many. When routes are safe, students can get the regular exercise they need for good health by walking or biking to school. Studies have shown that in addition to better weight management, physically active kids have improved mood and concentration and that physical fitness is related to better test scores on some standardized tests.

To volunteer for Walk to School Day, please contact Doreen Onthank at 941-1044 or (231)883-2288 or by email at ddonthank@charter.net .

___________________________
About Safe Routes to School
Safe Routes to School is a national and international movement to make it safe, convenient and fun for children to walk or bike to school. The benefits of SR2S are many. When routes are safe, students can get the regular exercise they need for good health by walking or biking to school. Studies have shown that physically active kids have improved mood and concentration and that physical fitness is related to better test scores on some standardized tests. We want our students to get the physical activity they need and to be safe.

• Safe Kids North Shore - Safe Kids Week -- April 28 through May 1, 2008
• Safe Routes to School - Remote Drop Off/Walk to School Day -- May 1, 2008 AM only