Braden River takes charge on the crosswalk

It was likely some parents of Braden River Elementary School students were going to be late for work Wednesday.

The school participated in National Walk to School Day, an event sponsored by Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital and Safe Routes.

"It's good for the parents," said Penny Stilson, a physical education teacher at Braden River. "Some were going to have to tell their bosses they'd be late for work, but it's nice parents get to take the time and walk to school with their kid."

Pencils, stickers and free Chick-fil-A meals were given to students who walked to school, and those who did were greeted by the Chick-fil-A cow mascot. 

Students had been learning about pedestrian safety for the previous three weeks in their physical education classes, so it was a chance for students to apply the knowledge.

"We talk about using sidewalks and crosswalks," Stilson said.

Also involved in this event was Alert Today Florida, an organization that advocates for pedestrian and bike safety. They were impressed with the number of students and parents who chose to participate. 

"This is so important. These kids are so smart and fantastic, all they need is to be taught the best practices and understand that they have to be in charge of their own safety," said Tara's Melissa Wandall, a national coalition member of Alert Today Alive Tomorrow. "The turnout here exceeded our expectations. There were so many that we ran out of materials to give out."