Walking School Bus for Earth Day in West Kendall (VIDEO)

It was an early Earth Day start for West Kendall Baptist Hospital’s Green Team and Healthy West Kendall Coalition members as they joined Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the Zoo Miami Zoo Squad at an event that got students and parents moving.

Oliver Hoover Elementary students and parents walked to school together as a way to be healthier, reduce traffic congestion and protect the environment. Participants commuted on foot from a “bus stop” at Hammocks Community Park. Many students also wore green to celebrate Earth Day.

The Walking School Bus is a partnership between selected schools, Healthy West Kendall and West Kendall Baptist Hospital. Launched in 2013 by the hospital, Healthy West Kendall is a community-based coalition with the vision of creating the healthiest community in Florida by fostering opportunities for physical activity, healthy food consumption and social awareness.

The Walking School Bus program is designed to demonstrate that walking to school can be a safe, fun and practical way to incorporate physical activity into everyday life.

The Baptist Health South Florida News Team followed the Walking School Bus on this Earth Day. Watch now.