Bike/Walk to School
WoW! (Walk or Wheel!)
The GreenTown Los Altos WoW! (Walk or Wheel) Program inspires kids to walk or ride to school while positively impacting their well-being. WoW! uses contests and incentives to encourage kids to get to school on their own.
Working with the Schools
GreenTown is working with all Los Altos School District schools and the Bullis Charter School to improve kids’ safety and parent comfort with their kids’ walking or riding to school. Each school parent-teacher organization has assigned volunteers to work with students to embrace, educage and empower kids to think “Walk or Wheel!”
Our Vision
Imagine every Los Altos and Los Altos Hills student walking or wheeling to school when it is safe and when they feel safe doing so. That’s the long-term vision. In the short term, GreenTown’s goal is to increase the number of WoW! kids by 20% by the end of the 2010/2011 school year. Activities and incentives are planned throughout the year to reach our goal and to begin building a more bicycle and pedestrian-friendly community.
WoW! School Highlights
Freiker at Almond Elementary
- On March 15, 2011, Almond School celebrated its second anniversary as the first school in California to use the Boltage (formerly Freiker) system to log car-free trips.
- Springer School launched its WoW! program in March 2010 and quickly topped the nation in green trips. In 2010/11, Springer School students logged 15,000+ green trips!
- During the 2009/2010 school year, the Egan Junior High bike/walk team taught hands-on bike safety to all 533 students.
Other Benefits
The GreenTown WoW! program also:
- Reduces vehicle miles, pollution and carbon emissions
- Boosts kids’ confidence and fosters bonding with peers
- Encourages a healthy, fit lifestyle; and
- Reduces local school traffic improving kids’ safety
Be on the lookout – there are more kids on bikes in Los Altos!
Want to help? Please contact: bike@greentownlosaltos.org
Michael McTighe, Chair
Preparing/Stuffing 300+ Boltage RFID (radio freq. ID) tags into protective pouches in preparation for handing out tags to the students prior to kickoff on Oct. 5, 2011. Tags are used with zapper at school to record # trips students make either walking or wheeling. L-R: Rory Maclean, Brandon Le, Andres Garcia, Will Diamond. Not pictured: Sean Diamond
Preparing/Stuffing 300+ Boltage RFID (radio freq. ID) tags into protective pouches in preparation for handing out tags to the students prior to kickoff on Oct. 5, 2011. Tags are used with zapper at school to record # trips students make either walking or wheeling. L-R: Rory Maclean, Brandon Le, Andres Garcia, Will Diamond. Not pictured: Sean Diamond
Read More…
- Metrics GTLA Bike Walk to School (PDF)
- City of Los Altos Bicycle Map (PDF)
- Bicycle Safetry Brochure for Parents & Students
Check the Events Calendar for upcoming GreenTown Los Altos events.
Oct. 5, 2011 - Serving Hot Chocolate at Egan on WOW Kick-off Day: L-R: Rory Maclean, Brandon Le, Andrse Garcia, Duncan Drewry, Will Diamond , not pictured Jared Kidd.
