To school they came, walking, running, bicycling, skateboarding, scootering, riding in cars and buses – all the while celebrating a weeklong Walk-n-Roll-a-Thon.
On Friday afternoon, the 500 students at Needham Elementary School reaped the rewards of their efforts – root-beer floats donated by Carver Brewing Co. and a chance to ride their bikes, scooters and skateboards through the halls of school and in a parade on Columbine Drive. It took 17 gallons of ice cream and three kegs – or 6,000 ounces – of root beer to handle the crowd.
“Even the students who came by bus or car were running laps around the playground,” Needham Principal David Tanaka said. “We have to keep the tradition because there’s no way we could tell the kids we’re not going to hold it this year. They’re always so excited for the day.”
The day also was a celebration of the six new trees planted on school property, an initiative created by Peter Schertz, in a program called “Kids and Trees Matter.”
“We had to dig up some asphalt to make room,” Tanaka said. “I guess you could say we returned it to the earth.”
The adults in attendance, who included Mayor Sweetie Marbury and Mayor Pro-Tem Dean Brookie, were celebrating something the students won’t appreciate until the new school year starts in September – a $291,000 Safe Routes to School Grant. The funding came from the Federal Highways Trust Fund and the Colorado Department of Transportation.
The project, called The Needham Connect, is in the design process now and will go out to bid by June, said Amber Blake, the city’s director of transportation and sustainability.
It will include widening the sidewalks to 5 feet and putting in a 4-foot median on Columbine and Arroyo drives, as well as a path to Miller Middle School. The goal is to make it a safer journey for students, whether they’re coming from Crestview or Clovis drive, she said.
“The grant also requires that we have an education component,” Blake said. “Last year, Gray Matters from Mercy (Regional Medical Center) gave helmets to any kid who needed one and even fitted them. This year, they brought workbooks and stickers.”
Gray Matters is a program that is working to educate the community about the importance of wearing helmets when engaging in activities where a head injury is a real possibility. It was started after doctors at the hospital saw an increasing number of brain injuries every year.
Tanaka was in a bit of a panic Friday morning as he searched his garage for his helmet, because this was one day he couldn’t miss wearing it.
In the bike/scooter/skateboard parade, the children all were wearing helmets, but for the adults, it was hit or miss.
“For kids this age, it’s the norm, whether it’s riding their bikes, skiing or rock climbing,” he said. “We still have to work on the adults.”
The day ended with prizes, including Osprey backpacks, gift certificates from Maria’s Bookshop and Brown’s Sport Shoe. Students got tickets for every day they participated in the Walk-n-Roll-a-Thon, which were used for a drawing.
The grand prize, two bicycles donated by Mountain Bike Specialists, required some thoughtfulness.
Every student who wrote an essay answering the query “Why is it important to ride your bike?” had a chance.
The lucky winners were kindergartener August Radding, the son of Carrie and Jonathan Radding, and first-grader Maggie Glick, daughter of Erin and Matt Glick.
“It saves gas and keeps the air clean,” August wrote in his essay. “I really like bikes.”
He was not the only one among his classmates who really likes bikes.
“Needham had 100 percent participation,” Blake said. “You can’t do better than that.”
abutler@durangoherald.com
