Jackson – Argonaut High School students, teachers and staff; city and county leaders; parents; and others celebrated completion of a “Safe Routes to School” project Tuesday morning at the school. A parent said in a release that the students from Argonaut High School were walking and riding bicycles to school along with parents, teachers and community leaders. Jackson this month completed a Safe Routes to School project along Argonaut Lane, to Pioneer Street. The project added curbs, gutters, sidewalks and bike lanes, through a Safe Routes grant. Dr. Bob Hartmann, Amador County health officer said: “We know that physical activity reduces childhood obesity and diabetes and enhances learning.” He said he was “grateful to the city of Jackson and Argonaut High School for promoting physical activity and public health.” He said: “Safe Routes to School projects give students an opportunity to bike and walk safely to school, making us a healthier community.” Hartmann said: “Safe Routes to School projects create safer routes for walking and bicycling and emphasize the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, concern for the environment and building connections between families, schools and the broader community.” There will be other activities throughout the school year to highlight the benefits of the project. An organizer said Tuesday’s dedication ceremony drew an “impressive line-up of students and community leaders,” which included Mayor Connie Gonsalves, Councilman Keith Sweet, Hartmann, Jackson Police Chief Scott Morrison and City Manager Mike Daly. Argonaut Principal Dave Vicari and Vice-Principal Julia Sierk-Zanze also attended with some of the school’s teachers. Story by Jim Reece This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it