Wednesdays are for walking at St Mary Catholic School

Throughout the months of April and May, St. Mary students have been meeting each Wednesday morning at Highland Park in Guthrie. From there they stroll down six blocks of Warner Avenue on their way to class. If you’ve been wondering why you have seen up to 50 students walking down the sidewalk, it’s just kids having fun and being healthy.

“It’s been fun to walk with them, and it’s always great to see kids being active and getting to know their neighborhood,” said parent volunteer Justin Fortney.

Not only does physical activity help decrease obesity in students, but the CDC states that, “…physical activity can have an impact on cognitive skills and attitudes and academic behavior …These include enhanced concentration and attention as well as improved classroom behavior.”

Fortney also said the Walking Wednesday experience was educational. “When walking with a group of kids, you want it to be as safe as possible, and so the few spots where the sidewalk disappears made things a little tricky.” In order to keep the route safe, participants had to cross Warner twice to utilize as much sidewalk as possible.

Principal Jacque Cook is appreciative of drivers along the route. “Sometimes it can take a while for that many kids to get across the street, but the drivers have been very patient and accommodating,” she said.

Research is informing schools as to the benefits of physical activity beyond just fitness. According to Active Living Research:

·         Kids who are physically active are 20 percent more likely to earn an A in Math or English.

·         Kids who are physically active see their test scores improve 6 percent over 3 years.

·         A 13 percent increase in students’ physical activity for the week results in a 21% decrease in teachers’ time managing behavior.

Brain scans done at the University of Illinois have shown that just 20 minutes of walking greatly increases neural activity in the brains of students, as opposed to the brains of students sitting quietly. (http://activelivingresearch.org/sites/default/files/ALR_Brief_ActiveEducation_Jan2015.pdf)

St. Mary students who have participated in Walking Wednesdays have enjoyed healthy refreshments courtesy of the Logan County Health Department’s “Get Fit Logan County” program. Each morning when students complete their walk to school, they find water bottles and bananas/granola bars waiting for them. Students who walked every Wednesday received certificates of accomplishment.

The Logan County Health Department is also excited to have been awarded Safe Routes to School grants from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. These grants will focus on Fogarty Elementary and Guthrie Upper Elementary School, and will be used to encourage and educate students, parents, and teachers who choose to walk or bike to school. Look for more information about these programs in the fall.