Schools

International Walk to School Day Parade Comes to Westchase

St. Joseph's Children's Hospital and Westchase Elementary School are teaming up for the "Walk and Roll to School" parade Wednesday morning.

Each year more than 500 children are killed and thousands are injured in pedestrian-related injuries, according to Safe Kids Worldwide.

St. Joseph's Children's Hospital, FedEx and Westchase Elementary are teaming up on Wednesday, Oct. 3 (International Walk To School Day) to help reduce some of those numbers by educating children and their parents on pedestrian safety.

Parents and students will meet at 7:15 a.m. at the crossroads of Montague Street and Bridgeton Drive for a "Walk and Roll to School" parade.

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Together, the group will parade to the school, which is located at 9517 W. Linebaugh Ave.

Once at the school, students will be presented with bike helmets, reflective backpacks and other safety items, and parents will be treated to coffee.

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About 20 percent of Westchase Elementary students walk to school, said Principal Scott Weaver.

Weaver said he emphasizes that students "walk in pairs and make sure they look both ways before crossing the street."

St. Joseph's Children's Hospital has been organizing the International Walk To School Day event locally for the past 10 years at different schools across the county, said Amy Gall, spokeswoman for St. Joseph's Children's Hospitals. Westchase Elementary School was last year's site, as well, and attracted about 300 people.

The event is an outreach of the hospital's Child Advocacy Department, which does a variety of safety programs in the community including providing low cost car seats, car seat checks, and bike rodeos.

"Our child advocacy center is in the community everyday of the year providing education and injury prevention items in an effort to keep kids out of the hospital," Gall said.

Want To Go?

What: International Walk To School Day "Walk and Roll to School" parade.

When: Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012 at 7:15 a.m.

Where: Parents and students will meet at crossroads of Montague Street and Bridgeton Drive. Together, the group will parade to the Westchase Elementary School at 9517 W. Linebaugh Ave.


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