walks or bikes to school.

 

To learn more about how your school can complete and submit Student Arrival and Departure Tally Sheets and NJ Safe Routes to School Parent/Caregiver Surveys, please see NJDOT’s “Evaluating Your SRTS Program” document on the NJ Safe Routes to School resource center Web page at http://policy.rutgers.edu/vtc/srts/
publications.php or contact srts@rci.rutgers.edu.

 

Walking School Bus: From New Jersey to Japan

Even in the cold weather of January, walking school buses can still be seen traveling to the Bartle Elementary School in Highland Park, New Jersey. This is exactly what Takeshi Yamasaki, a producer for NHK Broadcasting Corporation in Japan, was hoping for when preparing a story on walking trends in the United States. Mr. Yamasaki was eager to observe and interact with some students participating in a walking school bus. When the call went out from the National Center for Safe Routes to School for information about operating walking school buses in New Jersey, Colleen McKay-Wharton, Highland Park’s Walking School Bus Coordinator, was happy to respond. After contacting Ms. McKay-Wharton, Mr. Yamasaki and his correspondent/cameraman Yasuo Taguchi traveled to Highland Park on January 6th to observe and film the

walking school bus lead by parent Paul Hammond.

 

Meeting at 7:30 a.m., Mr. Yamasaki and Mr. Taguchi joined the walking school bus, walking with and filming a group of students as they travelled to school. On their walk, Mr. Yamasaki and Mr. Taguchi had the opportunity to interview children and adults involved with the walking school bus, learning why the walking school bus was so important and how much the children enjoyed walking together. After the walk, Mr. Yamasaki said the he “truly enjoyed” the walk to Bartle School and meeting Ms. McKay-Wharton, Mr. Hammond, and of course, the children. In addition, he met with Bartle School Principal Lauren Fraser, who shared her thoughts on the benefits of having students walk to school each day.

 

Mr. Yamasaki liked the walking school bus so much, that he plans to come back to Highland Park again later in the month to join the walking school bus once again as he gathers more footage and information for his news story. The story is expected to air on Japanese television some time in the late winter or early spring.