Children from the Lincoln School on Pine Street began walking to school during the first week of October, 2007, as part of a three-school pilot program sponsored by Healthy City Fall River. Physical education teacher Mike Kelly set up the program that rewarded walkers with a plastic "foot" for each day they walked. Children who recruited their parents or other children to walk with them got special recognition. "The program has really taken off," commented Mr. Kelly. "The children are very enthusiastic and are recruiting parent and their friends to walk with them.. The concept is part of the national Safe Routes to School  program, which began in the 1970s in Odense, Denmark, over concern for the safety of school children walking and bicycling to school. The idea has spread internationally, with programs now in other parts of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. The first Wednesday in October is International Walk to School Day. For more information about the program at Lincoln School, contact Principal Barbara Terrio at 508-675-8306.
 

(Top row, left) Physical Education Teacher Mike Kelly finishes giving instruction on pedestrian safety to the children at the Lincoln School who are planning to walk to school each morning.  (Top row, center) Curtis Hague receives a plastic "foot" token from Mr. Kelly while his father, Russell Hague, and student Tyler Lima look on. (Top row, right) Kindergartener Matthew Goddu is accompanied to school by Rhonda Oliveira. (Middle row, left) Ms. Oliveira helps Matthew write his name on the sign-in sheet to make sure he gets his plastic "foot" indicating he walked to school that morning. (Middle row, right) Fifth-grader Candice Walker runs the last few feet to the Lincoln School. (Bottom row, left) Sue Pontes accompanies kindergartener Morgan D'Amaral to the school (Bottom row, center) Kindergartener Edwin Fuentes signs in to receive his gold "foot" for getting a friend to walk with him. (Bottom row, right) Fifth-grader Andrew Sylvia displays the four plastic "feet" he earned so far this week.