The Story of Our 1/2 Mile Walking Path
Before We Had our Walking Path
In 2012 we initiated a 6-week Spring walking contest to get our students and staff outside and moving daily after a long winter. Since we had no path to walk on we completed laps around the exterior of our school building. Enthusiasm was high and collectively everyone covered over 10,000 miles. However we understood that if we could access a pathway around our athletic fields and property we would have a much more scenic route for our event. We also realized that an established pathway could take people nearby our garden, orchard and stewardship projects we intended to initiate. It was time to cost such a path out and figure out where the funding would come from.
Grant Funding to Install a Gravel Path
In 2013 we gathered funding from a Federally supported Healthy People Strong Communities Grant and from the New England Dairy and Food Council to pay for construction of a 1/2 mile pathway around the exterior of our athletic fields. Altogether we obtained over $22,000 of funding. The pathway was built in August of 2014.
Celebrating the Pathway Completion
To thank the people who came together to support the funding of the path, we held an opening ceremony in September of 2014. People from the granting organizations along with supporters from the police department, the health department, NW Medical Center, the local walk/bike organization, the mayor and our stewardship committee and the entire school, assembled at the start of the walking path. Speeches were given, a ribbon was cut, and then everyone walked several laps of the path. Although it turned out to be an overcast and damp day, it was a happy event.
The Path Gets Constant Use
- Every Fall and Spring the pathway gets plenty of use by learning communities seeking exercise during recess.
- Each Spring the school holds a 4-6 week long walking contest where learning communities compete with each other to win the golden shoe award. Each week's results are posted and shoe moves to the community with the most laps that week. At then end of the contest, the community with the most laps wins several hours of access to the St. Albans Swimming Pool.
- The path is used by the school's physical educators to teach basic bicycle skills to 4-6th graders. Local Motion and RiseVT supply the school with several weeks of free access to a bicycle trailer loaded with plenty of mountain bicycles for students to use.
- The path is open to the St. Albans Community during non-school hours and it is common to see adults walking or running on the path.
Student comments about one of the Spring walking contests:
Margot Collins, 6th grade “The best part of the walking contest this year is the new path makes it a lot easier to know how much you are walking. Also you get to go with your friends so it isn’t boring. It is really fun to punch your card because it feels like a big achievement.”
Nathan Murray, 6th grade “It was very exciting when I found out that Team Triumph won the golden shoe this week. It made me determined to get more laps in to keep the golden shoe in our possession!”
Aria Garceau, 6th grade “It is a great way to exercise. And you can go at your own pace with your friends, either walking or running. When you punch your cards it is easy to see your progress.”
Matthew Gonyeau, 5th grade “I made a goal of filling up the whole 20 laps on my card last week. I accomplished that by doing 9 laps in one day! I use a lot of my recess time to get those laps in. I enjoy using my recess time because our team really wants to win the pool party. I also want to get fit!”
Makayla Therriault, 5th grade “I enjoy walking because I can talk with my friends and teachers and get exercise. I really want to win the pool party! I also want to walk because when I walk I feel healthy. I get a lot of exercise.”
Emma Jemley, 4th grade “I really like swimming a lot and haven’t done it in a long time, so I want to win the pool party!”
Sam Bapp, 4th grade “I was excited and proud when we won the golden shoe this week!”
Nathan Murray, 6th grade “It was very exciting when I found out that Team Triumph won the golden shoe this week. It made me determined to get more laps in to keep the golden shoe in our possession!”
Aria Garceau, 6th grade “It is a great way to exercise. And you can go at your own pace with your friends, either walking or running. When you punch your cards it is easy to see your progress.”
Matthew Gonyeau, 5th grade “I made a goal of filling up the whole 20 laps on my card last week. I accomplished that by doing 9 laps in one day! I use a lot of my recess time to get those laps in. I enjoy using my recess time because our team really wants to win the pool party. I also want to get fit!”
Makayla Therriault, 5th grade “I enjoy walking because I can talk with my friends and teachers and get exercise. I really want to win the pool party! I also want to walk because when I walk I feel healthy. I get a lot of exercise.”
Emma Jemley, 4th grade “I really like swimming a lot and haven’t done it in a long time, so I want to win the pool party!”
Sam Bapp, 4th grade “I was excited and proud when we won the golden shoe this week!”