PORTLAND, Ore. — More than 100 students, family members, and staff members ditched their cars and rode or walked to Woodlawn Elementary school in Northeast Portland on Wednesday.
It's all part of the annual Walk, Bike or Roll to School event put on at the school twice a year for the past five years.
Deena Whipple, who organized the event, said it's a good reminder to families in the neighborhood that they don't always have to take the car to school.
Whipple said many of the students push their parents to give biking or walking to school a try.
"They find that it's fun and it's not that inconvenient, and they start to change their habits," Whipple said.
Cedar Nichols bikes with her daughter Jude nearly every day to school.
"I think it's so easy to become complacent with these small trips in the car. And I know Jude is really worried about climate change and global warming, so that definitely plays into the decision," she said.
"It's quick and I especially like going downhills. Also, as I heard Cedar mention, I don't want to pollute," said fourth-grader Jude.
KGW is spending the 2019-2020 school year at Woodlawn Elementary School, telling stories of the staff, students, and community through the series "Inside Woodlawn."
The first episode explained how the school is dealing with gentrification of the Northeast Portland Woodlawn neighborhood inside and outside the school.
KGW investigative reporter Cristin Severance and photojournalist Gene Cotton will be reporting periodically throughout the school year, with vignettes and full-length episodes.
Please follow our year-long series on YouTube, Facebook and by using the #insidewoodlawn hashtag on Twitter and Instagram.