Youth Programs

A short walk to school turned into a celebration of safety, neighborliness and punctuality today as a group at Springfield Housing Authority’s Sullivan Apartments made the hike up the hill to Boland Elementary School.

A gaggle of about 25 children, parents, state police officers and friends from the SHA, Baystate Medical Center, Sodexho and Bay Path University met outside the Sullivan Community Center and headed up to Boland.

The ‘Walking School Bus’ makes the trek every weekday morning, with the special guests and banner in honor of National Walk to School Day.

For children, the early morning group walk always takes on the air of a party, but today was extra special.

Children and friends at Springfield Housing Authority’s Sullivan Apartments celebrate National Walk to School Day as they prepare to walk to Boland Elementary School.

“It’s fun,” explained nine-year-old Xyomara Hernandez, who is a fourth-grader at Boland.

“I get to walk to school every day with my family and my friends. Plus that it makes us safer because we’re all together,” she added.

Organizers of the Walking School Bus from Sullivan to Boland said the concept of a group hike to school is simple, and all beneficial.

“It gets the kids to school on time, it energizes them while they’re walking, and it keeps everybody safe,” said Lynne Cimino, outreach coordinator for Talk/Read/Succeed!, a family-centered early literacy program that unites two SHA developments and two city schools, including Sullivan and Boland.

Bay Path University has a volunteer presence at the Walking School Bus, with some five students helping out every morning. Katie Jones, director of student engagement, leadership and wellness at the Longmeadow facility said the partnership is a good thing on both sides.

“For Bay Path students, we get to spend time doing something positive in the community, and getting to know these children where they live,” she said. “For the children, it gets them to school on time and the walk is so good for them.”

Nine-year-old Xyomara Hernandez joins the walking school bus at Sullivan Apartments every weekday.

Parents agree wholeheartedly, with many turning out for the daily communal walk.

“I love it,” said Antonella Santiago. “This is our third year doing it. It’s safer. They’re all together. We get to meet our neighbors in the morning and spend time together that we normally would have. We get to know each other and make new friendships.”

Father and son Jose and Isiah Hernandez make the climb every school day.

“I like this because I know my child is going to get to school safely, and plus that I am volunteering, doing something good for all the children,” said Jose, whose son is a third grader at Boland.

Fourth-grader Nelson Santiago always joins in, but sometimes gets tuckered out on the walk to school.

“It’s fun, and it’s tiring,” admitted the nine-year-old. “It’s uphill the whole way.”

The Walking School Bus lands at the Boland Elementary School.

At the school, a couple of hundred yards up Stafford Street, Principal Lisa Bakowski greeted the walking troop with hugs, hellos and a green water bottle for each participant. She is an avid supporter of the Walking School Bus from Sullivan.

“It’s a fantastic way for children and families to build relationships in a safe and consistent way,” Bakowski said. “And they all get to school on time.”