Middle school tops in commuter challenge event

Therese Van Reenan’s sixth-grade homeroom class at Ashland Middle School accumulated the most miles in Ashland’s first Commuter Challenge. Larry Stauth Jr. | For the Tidings

A class of sixth-graders accounted for almost a third of the 3,745 sustainable miles logged during Ashland's first Commuter Challenge.

Therese Van Reenan's sixth-grade homeroom class at Ashland Middle School racked up 1,049 miles in two weeks, eclipsing the other groups participating in the challenge.

The Commuter Challenge, which kicked off at Car Free Day, Sept. 22, asked people to use sustainable transportation for two weeks and log the miles they traveled.

Steve Ryan, a member of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission and organizer of the event, said the 29 students logged the most miles of the participating groups, including 91 miles walking, 413 miles carpooled and 465 miles by bus.

Since they are students, a chunk of the miles naturally came from riding the bus and carpooling, Van Reenan said, but many of the kids worked hard at riding their bicycles, walking or skateboarding to school.

She used the challenge as a class project so the students could "realize how easy it is for them to participate in community service and make it part of their daily lives," Van Reenan said.

Sixth-grader Georgia Williams carpooled with her cousin, sisters and parents or rode the bus about 1.5 miles to school.

"I thought it was going to be really hard, and then I realized I do this a lot," Williams said about the challenge.

Veronica Rodriguez, who carpooled about three miles to school with her parents and siblings, said it was "awesome" that their class set the record, since they were the only group of students participating.

"It was really cool because it means that our class is pretty fit," said classmate Ivy Whiting, who walks about 1.5 miles to school and sometimes rides her bike or scooter. Erik Ramirez said he walks to school because he only lives about a mile away.

"I'm close. It's not that far to walk," he said.

Thomas Cooper usually rides his bike about half a mile to school.

"Because my parents told me to and because it makes me stronger and it's good for the environment," he said.

Like his classmates, he was excited about their group logging the most miles.

The 150 participants in the Commuter Challenge logged 1,057 miles by bike, 599 by walking, 521 by bus, 559 by carpool, 4 by vanpool, 10 by teleworking and 995 by other means of transportation, Ryan said.

In the group competition, the City of Ashland's team followed the sixth-graders in distance traveled with 743 miles among 24 employees.

Southern Oregon University's Hannon Library averaged 5.6 employees per day with a total of 334 miles. Four employees at the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center racked up 300 miles, while Frank, Stella and Tracy Harding totaled 220 miles.

Of those participating as part of a group, North Mountain Park employee Marian Telerski traveled the most sustainable miles with 120, and Dana Smith, a City of Ashland employee, tallied 113.4 miles, Ryan said.

Among individuals participating on their own, Ryan himself logged 80 miles, while Shirley Lenz traveled 75, and Paul Adair and Lisa Ammann each tallied 70 miles.

Ryan said he hopes to see the event, sponsored by the City of Ashland and the Rogue Valley Transportation District, return next year in conjunction with Car Free Day.

"People came together to demonstrate another future is possible," Ryan said. "That we can get out of our isolated, carbon-emitting machines and work together for a healthier, safer, cleaner community all our relations can participate in."

Staff writer Kira Rubenthaler can be reached at 482-3456 ext. 226 or krubenthaler@dailytidings.com