Promoting a safe walk to school, students, afterschool program advisors, and community members participated in the Annual Walk to School Day this past week on Wednesday, Oct. 5. California Avenue Elementary and Crossroads Elementary sites both had their students, family members, and others walk to school to promote health and safety in the Riverbank community.

Afterschool program advisor, Bianca Lopez along with community members, met at Castleberg Park and joined the movement walking from there to California Avenue Elementary.

The first National Walk to School Day was held in 1997 according to the Walk and Bike to School Day website. Through annual surveys, local Walk to School Day coordinators across the country have advised how a simple one-day event has led to great changes such as long-term walking and bicycling programs, new sidewalks and pathways, enforcement of unsafe driving behaviors and needed policy changes at schools and in communities.