Our Residents

With temperatures hovering near zero on a recent morning, the ‘Walking School Bus’ at Springfield Housing Authority’s John L. Sullivan Apartments took to the sidewalks with a new friend who brought sunshine with him.

‘Sunny,’ a costumed bundle of energy, paid a visit to Sullivan courtesy of Boston Medical Center’s HealthNet Plan/Well Sense Health Plan. BMC is one of two dozen partners involved in the Talk/Read/Succeed! program, which  unites two SHA developments and two city schools in a coordinated effort to boost family literacy.

Children at Springfield Housing Authority’s Sullivan Apartments stand with ‘Sunny,’ before walking in tandem up the hill to Boland Elementary School.

At Sullivan, Sunny arrived bright and early, just as children were getting ready for the mass walk to school. The walking school bus has been in operation at Sullivan since last year, with about 35 children hiking up the hill together to Boland Elementary School each weekday morning. Boland teachers make the walk with the group.

Outreach Coordinator Lynne Cimino said the program features monthly visits by a T/R/S! partner who helps make the morning hike fun and interesting. On this cold February day, Sunny and his companion from BMC passed out packets of Band-Aids, while Cimino surveying children without mittens to make provisions for them.

Ariana Molina, 10, said she joins the walking school bus every morning.

Sunny also lead a ‘Sunny Says’ session, at first having children raise their hands, clap, turn around, and in a bid to keep everyone warm, jump up and down.

Cimino said the walking school bus has so far been a hit.

“It’s great for the children and the families,” she said. “It’s a neighborly thing to do, and it keeps everyone safe and together.”

Indeed, a School Department crossing guard met the group at Sullivan and led the way down the sidewalk, across the driveway and uphill to their destination.

The walking school bus leaves Springfield Housing Authority’s Sullivan Apartments and heads up to Boland Elementary School.

Ten-year-old Ariana Molina said she always walks to Boland with the group, even when it’s cold.

“It’s fun. You get to know people and you make new friends. Plus that, it’s a safer way to walk to school,” she said.

Shaun Addy, 7, agreed.

“I like walking with everybody else. It’s fun. You get to play with them,” he said.