Newton Police celebrate Walk to School Day with students

NEWTON — Newton Police officers joined with Newton school teachers recently to participate in the National Walk to School initiative. The department accompanied nearly 100 school children on their way to the Merriam Avenue School. The event was coordinated by Ptl. Steve Van Nieuwland in conjunction with Joseph Caravella, an Environmental Programs Manager for TransOptions, Inc., an organization whose mission is to “deliver programs that improve mobility, the environment and quality of life in northwestern New Jersey.” Walk to School events work to create safer routes for walking and bicycling and emphasize the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, concern for the environment and building connections between families, schools and the broader community. Participants met up near the #1 Fire House on Mill Street and were joined along the way by more children on their way to school. The event was a great success with the coordinated involvement of the school, community and the police.