In 2022, Natalie Stewart of Meadowbank School in Auckland was awarded a Golden Foot Walking Award for her work on a Walking Bus Competition.
Natalie was nominated by Delia Matthias (Auckland Transport) for her dedicated promotion of walking to and from school as the easiest, most fun, free and enviro-friendly active mode of travel.
“Natalie is constantly looking at new and innovative ways to improve the operational aspects of walking school buses as the easiest, most fun, free and enviro-friendly active mode of travel,” Delia Matthias said.
During the last four weeks of Term 2, Natalie initiated the Golden Ticket Walking School Bus promotion. Tamariki were encouraged to join a bus to win some cool prizes.
Every Walking School Bus child received a golden ticket in which a star could be clicked off for each walk achieved. When the ticket was complete (5 walks) they wrote their name & room # on the ticket to go into the prize draw which occurred on the 7th of July. (By collecting the room number, Natalie could see the age level of the children walking & the frequency across the year groups.)
Any child that gave a walking school bus a go was given a bonus ticket (green) which also went into the draw.
Prizes included mini golf, smiggle drink bottles, soccer balls, card games like Uno/monopoly deal, pen sets etc.
Natalie’s words, “I believe that the Walking School Bus is a great vehicle for teaching children to eventually (when they are ready) make their own way to & from school independently. If all children at your local primary school could strive towards this, it sets up our kids to continually reap the many benefits that a walking school bus delivers, such as build community, improve classroom attention span, improve mental & physical health, environmental impact etc.”
Photos: Natalie Stewart. Gold and green tickets which children earned.
