Gear Up for the First-ever National Bike to School Day Wednesday, May 9th Celebration Part of 2012 National Bike Month
Prepare to switch gears this spring. The National Center for Safe Routes to School announced today that it will be coordinating the first-ever National Bike to School Day on Wednesday, May 9, 2012.
Bike to School Day builds on the popularity and success of International Walk to School Day, which is celebrated across the country – and the world – each October, and encourages a bike-focused celebration in the month of May. The National Center, which serves as the information clearinghouse for the federal Safe Routes to School program, is planning the inaugural event in partnership with the League of American Bicyclists, the organization that leads the celebration of National Bike Month.
“Communities and schools have been holding spring walk and bicycle to school days for years,” said Lauren Marchetti, director of the National Center for Safe Routes to School. “This inaugural celebration not only provides an opportunity for schools across the country to join together to celebrate National Bike to School Day but also to build off of the energy of National Bike Month.”
“Celebrating Bike to School Day will increase the excitement surrounding 2012 National Bike Month,” said Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists. “Bike Month – including Bike to Work Week and Bike to Work Day – has grown year after year and we’re pleased to add a school- and kid-focused event to the celebration this year.”
Save the date and stay tuned! A newly redesigned version of www.walktoschool.org will be unveiled in early April with more information about Bike to School Day and new event planning resources and tools, including a new GIS-powered walking and bicycling route mapping tool. A “Win a Bike Rack” contest is also being planned to help build excitement and encourage registration of both events and resources for this inaugural event. Bookmark www.walktoschool.org and check back often to learn more.
National Bike to School Day is based on the Walk to School Day model. Walk to School Day was founded in 1997 as a way to bring community leaders and children together to build awareness for communities to be more walkable. The one-day event has now grown to a month-long celebration. In 2011, students and parents from more than 4,000 U.S. schools joined millions of Walk to School Day and Month participants worldwide. The reasons for walking have grown just as quickly as the event itself. For more information, visit www.walktoschool.org.
Bike to School Day, a part of the National Bike Month, will be held on Wednesday, May 9, the week before Bike to Work Week and Bike to Work Day.
** This message can be found at www.saferoutesinfo.org/about-us/newsroom/bike-school-day.
NIDA for Teens - The Science Behind Drug Abuse
Do you have questions about what drugs really do to you? Get the inside information on how different drugs can affect the brain and body. Stretch your brain - play a game and test your knowledge. Read real stories about the challenges teens faced when turning their lives around. All of this can be found at the NIDA for Teens website where "science behind drug abuse" is shared.
Parents - the Anti-Drug (Monitoring Tips that Work)
Ever find yourself wanting a "teen compass"… something to help you navigate through the sea of MP3 players, social networking sites, and questionable clothing choices?
What teens do versus what parents know are often two different things. The same is true for drugs and alcohol. The AntiDrug.com is here to get parents up-to-speed on what they need to know.
Food Allergies and Anaphylaxis
According to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network website, a food allergy is an immune system response to a food that the body mistakenly believes is harmful. Once the immune system decides that a particular food is harmful, it creates specific antibodies to it. The next time the individual eats that food, the immune system releases massive amounts of chemicals, including histamine, to protect the body. These chemicals trigger a cascade of allergic symptoms that can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, and/or cardiovascular system. Scientists estimate that approximately 12 million Americans suffer from food allergies.
A Personal Story - Food Allergies and School
Note: Missouri PTA adopted a resolution about food allergies/anaphylaxis and schools at the 2008 convention. Units and councils are encouraged to share ideas about how parents and schools can work together to ensure that students with food allergies have a safe and productive learning environment. This success story is written by the parent of a child with severe food allergies.
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By Jaxon's Mother
Ten years ago, food allergies had a very different meaning to me. I had heard of food allergies; who hadn’t? I’m sure I knew someone who knew someone else that broke out in a rash every time they ate strawberries. But what I didn’t know about food allergies was how this genetic disorder was about to change every day of the rest of my family’s life.
