.png)
King of Prussia - Although many students at Valley Forge Middle School continue to learn remotely due to COVID-19, the school, in partnership with GVF, did not let that stop them from celebrating National Bike or Walk to School Day on October 14th virtually.
Through the My School in Motion program, GVF and Valley Forge Middle School put together a fun educational video for students that discussed the school's bike and walking infrastructure, safety policies, and the My School in Motion Club. The video (above) also highlighted those who took part in the poster challenge, which asked students to draw a creative and educational picture of what walking/biking to school means to them.
Valley Forge Middle School is committed to improving walkability and biking opportunities on its campus. They recently installed two additional bike racks, which has now doubled their capacity.
Did you know?
The proportion of students in grades K-8 who walk or bike to school fell from 47.7% in 1969 to 12.7% in 2009.
Less than 3 in 10 middle and high school students get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity every day.
The CDC reports that the prevalence of obesity is 18.5% and affects about 13.7 million children and adolescents between the ages of 2-19.
A 2010 CDC study and report concludes that there is evidence that increased physical activity during the school day impacts cognitive skills and attitudes—essential components of academic performance.
It is estimated that school drop-offs' vehicle traffic accounts for 10%-20% of congestion volume in a given locale.
The My School in Motion program works to combat some of the above statistics, improve health and wellness among school students, and provide education on the value of walking and biking as an alternative to driving alone. This program will also focus on developing walking and biking school pools, so students (and parents if interested) can walk to school in a group, which may provide more peace of mind for parents.
My School in Motion is a two-year program funded through a Transportation Alternatives Set Aside Grant, which GVF received and partnered with Valley Forge Middle School. The program educates students on the basics of pedestrian and bicycle traffic safety, multi-modal transportation planning/engineering, and civic involvement complements education on the individual and community-wide benefits that walking and biking provide. If your school district is interested in implementing this type of program or would like more information, please contact us at info@gvftma.com.