TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Kids across the country are starting their day with some fresh air heading to class — including in Hillsborough County. Wednesday marks National Walk to School Day.
Potter Elementary School is one of more than 30 Hillsborough County schools celebrating the national day. Several county leaders welcomed the students as they came walking and biking to the building.
Potter Elementary 4th Grader Johavian Colon walks to school every day.
“It’s really fun to walk because then if you walk you can lose like a lot of pounds,” Colon said.
It also aims to bring awareness to having walkable communities.
The holiday is celebrated nationwide on the first Wednesday of every October.
“Students really need about 60 minutes of physical activity,” Hillsborough County Schools Superintendent Van Ayres said. “This is a tremendous way to kind of kickstart that and get that walking in early and get them ready for school.”
Road safety is extra important on a day like today when so many kids are crossing the street.
At Potter Elementary, they have two extravagantly painted crosswalks leading to the school. They are created across the county. Johavian is a fan.
“It’s cool because my favorite color is blue and red,” Colon said.
Not only is the street art pretty to look at, but it also works to catch drivers’ attention. It helps provide thousands of students an extra safety measure on their morning and afternoon commutes.
National Walk to School Day began in 1977, and it’s only growing in Hillsborough County. More than triple the amount of schools participated this year than they did last year in the county.
