Collicot Students 'Walk Across America'

Students at are attempting to walk across the country, making stops at six Miltons in other states along the way. Well, not literally, but the students are logging their walking and biking miles as part of the school’s Walk Across America program.

MassDOT and the Safe Routes to School program created the initiative that encourages students to collectively walk 3,593 miles over a 12-week period.

“It was aggressive to start when we did, but we figured we could make it 3,500 miles,” said Ann Marie Loughnane, who started the project at Collicot.

With the weather improving and the statewide falling in the timeframe, students have had plenty of opportunities to log their walks and bike rides.

The initiative is designed to motivate students to walk more often, specifically to school if possible. Prizes are being offered to students and classes who walk the most.

The organizers at Collicot have posted a map that will show the figurative journey from Milton, Massachusetts to Milton, Washington with checkpoints in the towns of Milton in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa and North Dakota along the way.

The milestones will be marked with little tidbits about the towns.

“It ‘s a fun way to learn about the country,” said Loughnane.

Collicot isn’t the only school in Milton participating in Walk Across America. According to Loughnane, started before them and is using the program as a way to learn about carbon footprint.