juntowell@vaildaily. com
Families and students adopted other tactics to arrive at Eagle Valley Elementary School on Wednesday, as part of what is a spring tradition. Even though it was a frigid morning in May, about two hundred students participated in the annual bike and walk march to School Day, getting around on foot, bike, rollerblading or scootering.
On a typical school day, Michele Miller, principal at Eagle Valley Elementary School, estimates that 20 to 30 percent of her 225 students walk or ride motorcycles to school. On Wednesday, more than 60% did.
“Our school is on the most sensitive part of a hill, so it’s tricky to get there by bike. So I think when more kids do it, they’re more likely to come back out,” Miller said.
During the school day, by motorcycle and on foot, parent volunteers and the school met with Eagle students to help them get safely from their community to school. Groups traveled, walked, and rode motorcycles throughout the city, adding Eagle Ranch, Ethrough Creek, The Terrace, Downtown Eagle, and more. Some families from faraway places took the opportunity to park in the city center and still make it to school. Once there, students were greeted through a sea of motorcycles and a free breakfast.
The purpose of the event, Miller said, is to promote healthy lifestyles and the environment.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to show kids the benefits of being outdoors, especially before a day of learning, and show them what helps them prepare to learn,” she added. “This is the kind of thing that we hope to promote that and the sense of network that we’re all here together. Let’s do things that are healthy and network-friendly.
The occasion takes place every year, with more and more students and families participating, Miller said, adding that this year is the largest ever held.
One of the incentives for this year’s draw for schoolchildren. Students riding bikes or walking to school were entered into a raffle for a mountain bike, as well as other accessories, as well as water bottles, helmets and CamelBaks.
This year, the school also partnered with Mountain Pedaler, a Vail Valley motorcycle shop with locations in EagleVail and Eagle, to offer raffle prizes and on-site motorcycle assistance. Charlie Brown, one of the owners of the store who owns a trail named after him next to the elementary school, is available to perform a loose motorcycle check for students.
From the moment the children arrived at school at 7:30 a. m. m. , Brown had a line of students in front of his tent, waiting for him to take a look at their bikes. Although Brown said the bells he installed were “the biggest success,” he also checked the brakes, drivetrains, and chains on many bikes.
“They told me exactly what was wrong. They were worried because it’s like their car, it’s their mode of transportation and they tried to make sure it was safe,” he said.
For him, participating in the occasion was a no-brainer: “I love this kind of thing,” Brown said. “”
“It’s the most fun part of my day,” she added.
Alex Dow, the school’s physical education teacher, organized the occasion this year and said he took the format of the occasion and tried to take it beyond expectations. In addition, Dow helped organize and prepare for the occasion through fourth-grader Griffin Hood. .
Hood asked for help organizing the event mainly because “I enjoy cycling,” he said.
In addition, their participation is in line with one of the IB School’s guidelines: service as action.
Hood rides his motorcycle to school “almost every day,” he said, adding that he does it “because he’s smart for the environment and I love riding his bike. “
Although he prefers mountain biking, his school is truly a BMX bike, not because he practices BMX, but simply “because it’s faster. “
By helping Dow organize the event, he helped find sponsors and inspired his peers to participate, which came to fruition Wednesday.
“A lot of kids I don’t usually see riding motorcycles to school do so today. I liked it,” Hood said.