CHANDLER, AZ — Expect to see a lot of extra foot traffic in school zones Tuesday morning as thousands of Valley students join the nationwide celebration of Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day.
Ruby Bridges was one the first black students to integrate an elementary school in the South. At just six years old, flanked by U.S. Marshals, she walked into a New Orleans elementary school over the cries of segregationists.
Now, each year, there is a nationwide walk in her honor celebrating school choice and aiming to inspire conversations about ending racism and bullying.
Some are organizing larger group walks to school and others will walk out as a class once school has started and take a lap around their neighborhoods.
Eriann Roberts is a teacher in Chandler and says they'll take the history lesson and use it as a life lesson for the future.
"Ruby Bridges was just a first grader and she made a difference for the whole country — how can we at any grade make a difference in our own community?" said Roberts.
While this is a one-day event, there is also a hope that more families, if able, will be encouraged to continue walking to school as there are other benefits physically, socially, and mentally.
"Kids have a tendency to not want to get out, stay inside. But this is a way to get out, enjoy the weather, meet other people, be a little more social," said John Boyd, a pedestrian safety expert with Phoenix Children's.
He says any time you're out walking, remind your kids about pedestrian safety like paying attention to surroundings, wearing bright clothing for visibility, and not roughhousing on the walk.
Boyd also advises commuters to try to leave earlier to avoid the school rush and pay attention to the slowdown in school zones.
