Schools
Hundreds of Lupin Hill Elementary Students Walk to School
A high level of student participation in this year's event sponsored by the city of Calabasas helped ease traffic congestion near the school and promoted a healthy lifestyle.
Parents, students, city officials and others joined the principal of Lupin Hill Elementary School in hitting the pavement Wednesday morning for a belated but enthusiastic observance of International Walk to School Day.
All three elementary schools and both middle schools in Calabasas were set to join more than 40 countries in the worldwide effort to promote physical fitness and improve air quality on the officially designated day of Oct. 5, but wet weather delayed Calabasas' participation.
“Last week was the international day but because of the rain, we decided to postpone,” said Larkin Campbell, city liaison for Calabasas and organizer of the event. “Some schools pressed on, but we decided to wait.”
In spite of rain, participation at all schools was high, and at Lupin Hill Elementary School, it was estimated to be nearly 90 percent.
Campbell’s son Casey was one of two helpers distributing reusable water bottles, shoelaces and tote bags to students. Also assisting was another third-grader, Madeline Freeman, who said the man inside the tiger mascot suit playfully entertaining the crowd and giving hugs was her father, Mathew Freeman.
Fifth-grader Bella was happy to be greeted by the school’s friendly tiger after being escorted safely across the street by a crossing guard.
“She loves it every year,” said Bella’s mom, Delynn Buonvicino. "We live 10 blocks away … but we park a few blocks away and walk.”
One of the event’s goals is reducing pollution but for those who live too far to walk, even parking a few blocks away can ease traffic congestion and provide a little exercise before class, said Robert Yalda, city engineer and public works director for Calabasas.
“We educate why it’s good to walk to school. But it’s more than that, it’s also about recycling and green living,” Yalda said. “Every Wednesday is walk-to-school day. We try to talk to the children and reach the parents through the children. ... And this is the result, 90 percent participation. At Chaparral Elementary, we had around 50 percent participation and at A.C. Middle School, we were also impressed.”
Lupin Hill Elementary School Principal Sheila Grady, who was walking up and down the street with students, cheering them on, referred to Yalda as the “king of Walk to School Day.”
“We started this program 17 years ago, I initiated that. I created that logo on the shuttle,” Yalda said, pointing to the green bird in flight on one of the city’s white buses as it dropped a group of students off at the corner of Parkmor and Adamor roads. “The City Council members are very supportive of this program,” Yalda said.
Councilwoman Lucy Martin and Councilman Fred Gaines both attended Walk to School events and on Wednesday, Gaines was present at 7:45 a.m. at Lupin Hill Elementary, handing out pedometers.
Children can use the pedometers for the Star Program, an honor system in which each student’s walks are tracked and the most prolific walkers rewarded, sometimes with a “jolly trolley” that brings students to a park or a pizza party, Yalda said.
“It’s fantastic, we had so many kids walk to school today. It’s not only great exercise but it helps traffic. It’s a win-win for everybody,” said Gaines. “I was also at Chaparral and A.E. Wright Middle School, and it’s been a great turnout everywhere."
Handing out gift certificates to Barnes & Noble or movie tickets to kids walking to school is another way children have been rewarded through the Star Program.
“It’s very successful," Yalda said. "We are fortunate in Calabasas that we are a leader in programs like this. The Parent Faculty Club is also involved, they work with each classroom.
"We want to make it cool to walk to school,” he said.
The city also wants to make it safe. For students shuttling and walking to and from school, extra security measures such as volunteer safety patrols and vehicle monitoring are implemented.
In the nearly two decades he has worked on the Walk to School program, Yalda has never heard of any incidents affecting children, only some calls from parents voicing concerns.
“My biggest safety problems are actually with the parents—if they’re impatient, if they don’t follow the rules, if they don’t leave in time and park in the red zone or don’t help their children walk to school.”
Calabasas first officially celebrated International Walk to School Day in 2004 at the 1st Annual Fall Family Faire held at Juan Batista de Anza Park.