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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.
A 2010 CDC study and report concludes that there is evidence that increased physical activity during the school day impacts cognitive skills and attitudes—important components of academic performance.
It is estimated the vehicle traffic generated by school drop-offs accounts for 10%-20% of congestion volume in a given locale.
**From the Community Preventative Services Task Force, October 2018
In October, GVF launched its ‘My School in Motion’ program at Valley Forge Middle School to combat some of the above statistics, improve health and wellness among school students and shine the light on the value of walking and biking as a valuable transportation alternative.
The focus of the program is to introduce a bike and walk program into a middle school curriculum. Tredyffrin/Easttown School District accepted the invitation to participate with GVF in creating a program that will cover two academic years.
The program is funded through a Transportation Alternatives Set Aside Grant. The basics of pedestrian and bicycle traffic safety, multi-modal transportation planning/engineering and civic involvement will complement education on the individual and community-wide benefits that walking, and biking provide.
The kickoff event held at Valley Forge Middle School was a huge success, with over 350 students participating in biking or walking to school that day. That was close to double the number who normally walk or bike to school! The interest and enthusiasm were there!
A ‘victory lap’ around the school track greeted the arriving students with five (5) important questions posted on signs about walking, biking, and transportation. The following assembly announced the ‘My School in Motion’ program and had fun with the answers to the trivia questions. Prizes and gift bags were distributed to students. The beautiful weather and enthusiasm for the benefits of ‘motion’ energized the school community.
"Valley Forge Middle School is excited to participate with GVF on My School In Motion. We are looking forward to further educating our students on the benefits of safe walking and biking and providing opportunities for students to make meaningful differences in their community through civic engagement." Dr. Jacquelyn Hickey Rothera, Assistant Principal, Valley Forge Middle School.
GVF looks forward to working with Valley Forge Middle School over the next year to create an engaging program for its students. It is GVF’s hope that other school districts will incorporate a program like ‘My School in Motion’ to encourage the health, safety and transportation benefits of biking and walking. If you would like more information, please contact Anita Nardone, PE at anardone@gvftma.com or 610-354-8899.
Founded in 1990, GVF is a not-for-profit organization created to advocate and promote a viable transportation network for the region’s economic vitality. To maximize awareness and develop sustainable support, we partner with public and private entities.
GVF's mission is to achieve a desirable quality of life and a healthy, competitive economic environment by developing multi-faceted transportation strategies. For more information about GVF or to learn about the benefits of partnership, visit www.gvftma.com.