Loveland Kids Encouraged to Walk, Bike or Skate to School Tuesday

Thompson School District and The City of Loveland are encouraging kids to walk, bike or skate to school on Tuesday. It's all part of the Walk to School Day 2011.

The idea of course is to promote healthy activities to help fight childhood obesity. It's called the Tires-n-Tennies Program.

Get to school on your tires,or your tennies.

From the Reporter - Herald

Before the bell rings at eight elementary schools Tuesday morning, students will be hoofing it to get there.

Or biking.

Or skateboarding, inline skating or riding a scooter.

Students and their families will be participating in the fourth annual Walk to School Day 2011, which kicks off the Tires-n-Tennies Program. Instead of getting a ride, the program encourages students to use their tires and tennis shoes to bike or walk to school.

"That bike or walk to school is a great way to start the day ... getting exercise before school starts," said Susan Kelly, coordinator of the Coalition for Activity and Nutrition to Defeat Obesity, known as CanDo. "Research shows that it's beneficial to their readiness to learn."

CanDo is part of the Safe Routes to Schools task force, as are the Thompson School District and the city of Loveland. Safe Routes to School is a national initiative that promotes alternative modes of transportation.

The local version of that initiative is Tires-n-Tennies, which teaches pedestrian and walking skills to students and families to improve neighborhood safety and to lessen traffic jams at school drop-off zones.

"Walking and biking are totally an option," said Shelley Aschenbrenner, engineering technician with the city of Loveland. "It's just as important to be a safe driver as it is to walk and bike."

More on the story in the Loveland Reporter Herald