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Walktober: Foundations for a safe year outside

Programs

Our Milwaukee Safe Routes team has been hard at work building support programs to help MPS staff support students in getting active and improve mental wellness while we are physically distanced.

Michael Anderson, Safe Routes to School MKE Program Manager

Autumn is upon us and with this shift is the need for us to continue planning covid-concious outdoor activities.  This is vital to the physical and emotional well-being of our communities.  As such our Safe Routes to School team in Milwaukee is excited to offer a variety of resources to the Milwaukee Public School community. Our hope is that that every school has the solid foundations of comprehensive Safe Routes programming. Over the next month we are inviting MPS staff to become their school’s Safe Routes Champion.  

Our Safe Routes Champion Training takes many forms; whether it be a Personalized Bike Workshop,  Walking Club, or utilizing our Safe Routes from Home curriculum there are many ways to get involved.  Our next major celebration is coming up Wednesday, November 18, 2020, when we celebrate, Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day. We will offer assistance to all MPS schools interested in joining this national celebration. There are also incentives and apps for tracking classroom activities to work towards collective goals through the rest of October.

Read more on Ruby Bridges wikipedia page here.

Ruby Bridges escorted from school building by U.S. Marshalls to and from school

Lifting up youth voices

September 2020, S. 18th St,  The DPW leads the Lincoln Avenue School Community on the final round of community engagement for their Safe Routes Pedestrian Infrastructure project. The Lincoln Avenue Community School Leadership Team is currently working on getting it’s own walking club launched this month in the absence of their nationally recognized Walking School Bus program.

We will be running several afterschool Bike Clubs within MPS next Spring. Until then our staff are largely focusing our Safe Routes efforts on walking for the coming months.  It is a vital activity during the pandemic and we are here to creatively encourage safe walking.  This year we have an incredible opportunity to build new models of community engagement and involvement.  What starts as a 15 minute lunchtime Walking Club may transform into a community shoveling effort or clothing drive.  Now is the time for us to get creative, masked up, and lay the foundations of Safe Routes through all seasons. 

Download or share our booklet of offerings available. Tell an MPS teacher, family, or be inspired in your community to engage youth in ways to stay active and safe! While these programs focus on MPS through our longtime partnership, and grant funds, we hope other communities are inspired and motived to become local champions. Please contact us to discuss bringing ideas to life in your community.