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The Daily Tar Heel

Kids walk to school for diversity

October 7th was International Walk Day and Rashkis Elementary School, located in Meadowmont, was among the Chapel Hill Schools that celebrated with a short walk to school. All nationalities of students were represented with flag carried by the oldest students. It was a big event with three UNC cheerleaders showing up to lead the walk.
October 7th was International Walk Day and Rashkis Elementary School, located in Meadowmont, was among the Chapel Hill Schools that celebrated with a short walk to school. All nationalities of students were represented with flag carried by the oldest students. It was a big event with three UNC cheerleaders showing up to lead the walk.

To celebrate the event, students of Rashkis Elementary School in Chapel Hill gathered in a small grass area to the side of the main road entrance to the Meadowmont community and walked together into the school.

Many of the older students were carrying flags representing their countries of origin. The kindergarteners led the way, with teachers, parents, police officers, firefighters, EMS workers and cheerleaders walking alongside them and the rest of the students. Chapel Hill firetrucks and police cars followed behind the students as they walked the short distance to their school.

Rashkis Elementary School marked the event with the presence of a drum line, UNC cheerleaders and emergency workers such as firefighters, EMS workers and police officers.

The event aims to promote safety in communities and also healthy lifestyle choices.

Assistant Principal Christina Richardson said she is happy about the opportunity for students to get excited about physical education.

“For our school, we try to make sure that our students are as healthy as possible and we give them avenues to engage in physical activity outside of the regular 30 minutes of gym class,” said Richardson.

The event is also a way for students to get to know their community’s public servants by seeing them support the walk to school.

“It gives the opportunity for kids and parents to join together coming to this, as well as bringing law enforcement, fire and EMS,” said Cpl. Jonathan Daniel, community relations and crime prevention officer at Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

“It lets them see that we’re here for them, we want to help them and do all we can for them so they know, trust and care about us like we do about them.”

The event at Rashkis Elementary was organized by Kim Caddell, the school’s receptionist, along with collaboration from the school’s wellness committee.

“International Walk To School Day is important to us because it gives the children an opportunity to learn that exercise can be fun,” said Caddell.

“The ‘international’ part of walk to school day is great because we have so many international students at Rashkis, and we get to represent them through those flags that you saw, and they get to march down the street representing where they’re from, and it helps everybody feel included and a part of the whole. It’s great.”

@_rachel_bridges

city@dailytarheel.com

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