Two Hanover schools encourage walking, biking to school

Two Hanover County elementary schools are seeking grant money for a program that encourages students to walk or ride their bikes to school.

John M. Gandy and Henry Clay elementary schools are applying for money from the Virginia Department of Transportation's Safe Routes to School program.

The grants provide money to schools to improve roads or sidewalks around a school, teach students about pedestrian and bike safety and more.

Laurel Meadow Elementary received a grant this year. It comes with $5,000 for non-infrastructure projects such as walkie-talkies, safety vests and other educational materials, and $50,000 for a new sidewalk that will run from Lee Davis Road to the school.

Gandy and Henry Clay are in Ashland. Henry Clay serves kindergarten through grade two, and Gandy is grades three through five.

The grant process has two phases. The first involves submitting a plan to the local School Board and the Board of Supervisors and, in this case, the town of Ashland. The governing body has to be the applicant for the grant. The town is in the process of applying for the grants.

Laurel Meadow's principal, Karen Carpenter, the grant is just one more tool that schools can use to help families fight childhood obesity.

She said her school has already begun pedestrian-safety lessons for students.

It's a necessity, she said, because "we're such a car generation."

Students don't always learn the proper way to walk along or cross a street, Carpenter said.

Additionally, the school had its first walk-to-school day recently. Carpenter said many families walked with their children -- and pets -- to school and she hopes to schedule another one for the near future.

The fresh air, the exercise, the quality time spent between adults and children -- all positive things.

"I think it's good for them to get out there," Carpenter said.

Contact Holly Prestidge at (804) 649-6945 or .