Next Wednesday, October 8, Mar Vista Elementary will launch its 2025 Walk ‘n’ Roll Challenge in celebration of National Walk, Bike and Roll to School Day. The kickoff event invites students and families to choose active and eco-friendly ways of getting to school, whether by walking, biking, scooting, skateboarding, taking the bus, or using public transit.
The day will begin with volunteers stationed at every gate to give hand stamps to students who walk or roll. Participation will be tallied by class, and each grade level’s top class will earn a Walk ‘n’ Roll Trophy to display in their classroom. Parents have also organized three bike buses, group rides where children can bike or scoot together with adult supervision.
The kickoff is the start of a semester-long effort to promote healthy and sustainable habits. Beginning the following Wednesday, October 15, students will track their trips in a Walk ‘n’ Roll Fall Passport. Every Wednesday, participants will get a hand stamp and record their progress. Students who walk or roll every week, or rank among the top participants, will receive prizes at the end of the semester.
Organizers highlight the broader purpose of the challenge: building lifelong habits of active transportation while reducing the school’s reliance on cars. In Los Angeles, tailpipe pollution accounts for about 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. By walking and rolling, families help improve air quality, ease traffic congestion, and make streets safer for everyone. Communities with higher rates of walking and biking also tend to see lower crash rates and better health outcomes for children.
The Walk ‘n’ Roll Challenge taps into the joy and independence children feel when walking or biking to school, while also fostering a sense of community among families. “It’s about exercise, fun, and learning that there are better ways to get around than just driving,” said organizers in a message to families.
The Mar Vista Elementary Walk ‘n’ Roll team has been working with parents, teachers, and community partners to make the program a success. Volunteers are helping with hand stamping, tallying participation, and distributing Fall Passports. Teachers will also encourage students to record their trips throughout the semester.
Organizers hope to build momentum that can expand beyond the campus, with bike safety workshops, neighborhood walking groups, and advocacy for safer streets.