Area Students Go for a Walk
Posted: October 27, 2011
Students across northeast Iowa celebrated active transportation the first week in October by participating in several school or community sponsored walking events to promote physical activity and the overall health of communities.
In one event, over 291,000 individuals walked one kilometer for Healthiest State Initiative's "Start Somewhere Walk" which is a privately lead public initiative to make Iowa the #1 state when it comes to being physically, emotionally and mentally healthy.
International Walk to School Day or I-Walk started in 1997 and events are aimed at bringing forth permanent change to encourage a more walkable America — one community at a time. Follow the link to see what schools throughout Northeast Iowa planned.
Live Healthy Iowa Kids' Fall Fitness Day had 56,466 youth participate, totaling 178 schools. Schools planned for a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity any day from Oct. 3 to 10. Many schools incorporated Fall Fitness Day with I-Walk activities.
Schools that reported 100 percent participation of their enrollment are eligible for a random drawing for cash prizes. Live Healthy Iowa awarded cash prizes to seven Iowa schools to go toward their physical education programs for their participation in the event. New Albin Elementary, Central schools of Elkader and Nashua-Plainfield Elementary all won a cash prize.
Here are other schools that participated in "I-Walk" or "Start Somewhere Walk":
Crestwood Elementary, Cresco; Decorah Elementary & Middle Schools; MFL MarMac Elementary, Monona; New Hampton; West Union Elementary; Oelwein Elementary Schools; Postville; Riceville Elementary; South Winneshiek; Turkey Valley; Valley of Elgin; Waterville Elementary; East and West Elementary, Waukon; and West Central.
