A Walking School Bus (WSB) is students walking to school, while being led by an adult volunteer, or “route leader”. Students can join the WSB at different “bus stops' along the way and get to socialize with their peers while walking to school. The route leaders and participating students wear reflective gear to increase visibility and bring awareness to the WSB group.
WSBs reduce the amount of traffic congestion around schools and increase the physical activity kids get each day. Kids show up to school more alert and ready to begin a day full of learning, having had the chance to socialize with friends on their way to school, and get out some of that joyful energy kids are filled with every morning. From an environmental perspective, WSBs make an impact, by reducing the harmful emissions given off by automobiles idling around the school. If a parent idles 5 minute each morning and evening, they will spend 30 hours per school year waiting in their car!
School communities that are already seeing the benefits of a WSBs in Montana include Shelby, Billings, and Dillon (a star WSB that has been active for over 10 years!). Having spoken with these program coordinators, I am greatly inspired to increase the WSB programs in Big Sky Country and would love to help jumpstart the program (or improve upon already existing ones!) at schools right here in Helena, and beyond. I cannot do this alone, though, as I need representatives from the schools, as well as parent and community support, to start a successful WSB program.
So if you are interested in;
● supporting active lifestyles in children,
● helping the environment
● encouraging “greener” practices and sustainable transportation, or
● bringing together groups of community members of all ages to bring awareness to safe routes to schools,
A WSB would be a great fit for your school!
Please contact me at claire@bikewalkmontana.org for more information and for help organizing your own Walking School Bus program!
If you are already participating in a Walking School Bus program, please consider filling out this survey, where we are collecting information about WSB programs across the state!