By Paul Thompson
Northeast News

Holy Cross Catholic School students met at the Budd Park pool house before school on the morning of Wednesday, October 4 to participate in International Walk to School Day.

The parochial school joined a half-dozen KCPS schools in participating in the annual event, which started in Chicago in 1997 to promote healthy lifestyles, healthy neighborhoods, and safety. International Walk to School Day is now recognized by more than 40 countries.

The event was organized by Student Council President Yulissa Cabrera and Vice President Adriana Monge. The Holy Cross students were joined by parents and school staff on the walk.

“This is my fifth year here, and this is our fourth year participating in International Walk to School Day,” said Holy Cross principal Barb Deane. “We probably had over half of the school walk. We had a pretty darn good turnout, from pre-K through 8th grade.”

Deane added that Holy Cross hopes to reinforce healthy habits and establish Budd Park as a safe place for play.

“I think our main goal in keeping it going, number one, is to reinforce kids exercising,” said Deane. “But it’s also that we want the park to be a safe space, and that we’re going to have a presence in the park. It’d be a shame not to use a really nice public park right across the street.”