Week of wellness: Boston students will be walking, working and learning about fitness and nutrition

BOSTON – October 8 is “International Walk to School Day” and this week Boston Public Schools students are getting outside and getting moving with activities to encourage healthier and more active lifestyles. Three elementary schools and their partner organizations have organized special nutrition and fitness events over the next few days.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

“Let’s Get Moving!” HPHC/Celtics Day of Service, Nutrition and Fitness at the Ohrenberger
8:15 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Ohrenberger Elementary School, 175 Boundary Road, West Roxbury

Nearly 100 volunteers will come to the Ohrneberger for “Let’s Get Moving!” a day-long celebration of healthy minds and healthy bodies. Volunteers from Harvard Pilgrim Health Care the Boston Celtics front office and City Year will join parents, staff and students for a day of service, nutrition and fitness. Volunteers will work on several nutrition and fitness projects, including the creation of a community garden (shaped like an owl in honor of the school’s mascot) and outdoor classroom, the development of kick-ball field with benches, and the painting of educational and inspirational murals. While volunteers serve, students will engage in a variety of fitness activities, including basketball clinic with Celtics Legend JoJo White, and a dance mini-camp led by the Celtics Dance Team, nature hikes and gardening.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Annual O’Donnell Walk to School
8:45 a.m.
Start at Corner of White & Meridian Streets in East Boston; end at O’Donnell Elementary School, 33 Trenton Street, East Boston

The annual O’Donnell Walk to School event brings together the entire O’Donnell Community, and nearly all of the families in the school participate along with their children. On Wednesday morning, the whole school will meet at the corner of White and Meridian Streets in East Boston at 8:45 a.m. and parade down Meridian Street accompanied by the local police and other special guests, including State Representative Sal LaMattina, Mike Nicastro, Community Outreach Coordinator for the East Boston Health Center, and Erin Christiansen, Director of Childhood Injury Prevention for City of Boston.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

“Walking School Bus” with the Boston Celtics
8:40 a.m.
Otis Elementary School
218 Marion Street, East Boston

In honor of International Walk to School Day the Boston Celtics in partnership with Kia have teamed up for a “Walking School Bus” event with students from the Otis Elementary School. Students will meet up with adult volunteers (and one lucky leprechaun) at various neighborhood locations to walk to school. Students will receive orange safety vests and pedometers. The walk will be followed by a school assembly about safety when walking to school, a particularly important topic at the Otis, which has the most walkers of any Boston school.