By JEN COWART Across the city, students were walking to school, accompanied by members of the Cranston Police Department. The Walking School Bus event is a yearly event celebrated nationwide and internationally, although the local date can sometimes vary from the International Walk to School date, which is Oct. 4 this year.

According to Monica Mays, a parent in the Garden City Elementary School neighborhood, the event has taken place with the participation from CPD for at least the past three years in a row.

“We have about five different families on the street who walk to Garden City School with the police officers,” Mays said. “The parking and drop-off is challenging at Garden City School since there is no parking lot and teachers have to park along the street. Parents are also dropping off as the school buses are coming in, so it makes it very difficult.”

Having children walk to school, accompanied by adults, is one way to help alleviate some of those issues, said Mays, but also allows for exercise and community building at the same time.

Colonel Michael Winquist and Major Bob Quirk were on hand to escort the Garden City students to school from the Dellwood Road neighborhood, a neighborhood which Mays said has traditionally had many students who attend Garden City School.

The weather was sunny and warm as the officers walked and talked with the students, discussing the first week of school, new classrooms, teachers and other school-related topics.

Across the city, officers were walking students to school at Gladstone, Arlington, Woodridge, and Eden Park Elementary Schools as well, with students and officers stopping for photo opportunities and to add more students to their group, and building community relationships along the way.