Students gathered at different sites in New Ulm to walk or ride bikes as a group to school. These groups are called “walking school buses.”

This was part of the national Walk & Roll to School Day. This annual event is celebrated around the world, aiming to encourage kids to be active, walk to school, and have fun.

The event gives elementary and middle school kids from New Ulm Elementary/Middle, Cathedral, St. Anthony, and St. Paul an organized opportunity to walk to school with trusted adults from the community.

Heart of New Ulm and Safe Routes to School have promoted the event since 2009. Heart of New Ulm Project Manager Jen Maurer said they try to hold a group walk each season in the school year. The walking school buses are held in the fall and spring. During the winter, when the weather is less predictable, the school hosts a story stroll. Pages of a book are posted around the school for students to read while walking around the building.

Lincoln Park walking school bus arrives at saftely at Jefferson Elementary. The small walking school bus consisted of (L to R) Sarah Leslie, Mariah Hagberg, Tori Hagberg and Marley Hagberg in the stroller.

Maurer said this spring saw lower participation in the walking school buses than in the past, but many students chose to walking or bike to school independent of the school bus.

“It was a beautiful morning to walk to school,” Maurer said.

She led a walking school bus of a dozens students from Turner Hall to New Ulm Elementary, Middle School and St. Paul Lutheran. Additional students joined as the group after departing from Turner Hall.

Another smaller walking school bus departed from Lincoln Park at 7:30 p.m. This walking school bus was led by Public Health employee Tori Hagberg and Heart of New Ulm volunteer Sarah Leslie. Hagberg’s daughter, 3rd grader Mariah was the only student to meet at the Lincoln Park stop. Tori’s younger daughter Marley also joined in a stroller.

Though it was a small group, it was exciting for Mariah Hagberg. She said this was her first time walking to school.

Her family lives near Winthrop. Most days her mother drives her to school since Brown County Public Health is near the school.

Asked how it felt to walk to school, Mariah said, “It is weird but I like it.”

Mariah Hagberg said she enjoyed the nice weather, but had fun talking with Heart of New Ulm volunteer Sarah Leslie during the walk.

“I like talking,” Mariah said. During the eight block stroll to school, she was able to share stories of all the athletic activities with Leslie. She also had a chance to point out interesting homes along the route that are easy to miss from a vehicle.

From a health standpoint, Tori Hagberg appreciated students getting exercise before class.

“It is good to get their bodies moving before they have to stay still all day,” she said.

Leslie said, “It is a good way to start the day with exercise and fresh air.”

Maurer said there were studies that showed kids did better in school if they exercised before school.

“If they are active before school, they concentrate better in class,” Maurer said.

Tori Hagberg said she also appreciated the walking school bus approach because it limited the congestion around the schools. Traffic around Jefferson Elementary, New Ulm Middle School and St. Paul’s Lutheran is extremely congested around drop off and pickup times.

The traffic congestion was also a concern for School Resource Office (SRO) Andrew Achman.

“I like kids walking to school because it reduces the congestion around the buildings,” he said.

Achman assisted with walking school bus each year. He typically follows the students to make sure everyone reaches the school.

Achman said it always surprised him to meet kids who never walked to school before as he always walked when he was a kid. Achman appreciated the health and safety reason for walking to school, but he liked that it gave kids a chance to socialize too.

Another benefit of the walking school buses is it allows students from the other schools to socialize. Several students on the walking bus attended New Ulm Public, but others attended St. Paul’s Lutheran.

The Braulick twins, Sydney and Madison, attend St. Paul’s Lutheran and helped Maurer lead their fellow students on the last leg of the walk.

Sydney and Madison said they don’t typically walk to school because they live in the country, but the try to participate in each walking school bus. They said it a fun alternative to the school bus.