Schools
Derby Students To Take Part In Ruby Bridges Walk To School Day
Students at Irving School in Derby will honor a civil rights icon by taking part in Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day this week.
Information via AAA Northeast
DERBY, CT — Students at Irving School in Derby will join AAA Northeast and others in honoring a civil rights icon Thursday morning by taking part in Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day.
According to a news release provided by AAA Northeast, the students will take part in the event along with Safe Kids Worldwide, the Connecticut Department of Transportation, the Derby Department of Public Works and Griffin Health, as well as students across the country.
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The event will begin at 8:15 a.m. with a "walking school bus" in the neighborhood surrounding Irving School, located at 9 Garden Place.
After the walk, students will participate in several interactive traffic safety lessons outside the school. Safe Kids Worldwide President Torine Creppy will also lead an assembly.
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According to the release, Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day recognizes the historic event that took place on Nov. 14, 1960, when 6-year-old first grader Ruby Bridges became one of the first Black children to integrate the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans.
Bridges was not looking to make history; she and her family wanted to have access to an education where she could learn in a safe environment. Bridges' historic walk to school initiated the desegregation of New Orleans' public schools, according to the release.
More than 60 years later, Bridges' vision is for the next generation of leaders to end racism and all forms of bullying one "step" at a time, according to the release.
Six years ago, a class of AAA School Safety Patrollers from Martin Elementary School in South San Francisco learned about Bridges' courageous actions.
With a simple question from one student – "why isn't there a day for Ruby?" – an idea was sparked. These young leaders founded Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day with the goal of building a nationwide movement and starting a day of dialogue.
Last year, more than 650,000 people across the U.S. took part in the event, according to the release.
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