The assignment: keep at least a three-mile an hour walking pace for a distance of just over 23 miles from Indianola High School to Carlisle and back.
This was the challenge issued to Indianola High School American literature students who were reading Stephen King’s novel, The Long Walk, a story that highlights endurance and perseverance.
“It’s one thing to read about having to endure, it’s another to actually feel it,” said Greta Southall, who coordinated the walk with fellow English teachers, Kevin Barnes and Vicky Brenner.
The three teachers called the idea a “literature to life” experience, and they strived to follow the book as closely as possible. In the book, walkers must maintain a four mile per hour pace. “The Major,” symbolizing a possible military or fascist state system, appears throughout the book to push the walkers on. The high school walk enforced a three-mile per hour walking time. The Major was played by assistant principal John Taylor, who wore fatigues and the walk began with a speech by Mayor Ken Bresnan.
Barnes said he felt the project really helped to get the students excited about reading.
“It definitely made the book a lot more intriguing,” said Tyler Nicholson, junior, who participated in the walk. “Because when you were reading it, you were thinking, ‘We are going to be doing this’, it made it more interesting.”
Brighton Brandt and Kegan Talbot, both juniors, agreed with Nicholson.
“It really put things into perspective,” said Brandt after completing the walk. “It was pretty hard.”
“And we only did one small part, in the book they walked so much further,” said Talbot. In the book, the walk began near Canada and finished in Massachusetts. No rests or breaks were allowed in the fictional version of the walk.
140 students signed up to participate in the Long Walk, said Barnes, and those who were unable or elected not to were given other assignments. However, he said he was impressed with the number of students who attempted the feat.
“I’m very proud of the students who are willing to try,” said Southall. “Even if they only get to Banner (state park) before they drop out, they get full credit.”
The walk, which followed the Summerset trail to Carlisle, was divided into several sections to allow students who needed to stop, or who did not keep above the three-mile-an-hour pace, to be transported back to the school, said Southall.
“We had a huge number of students make it all the way to Carlisle,” said Brenner. “I’m so proud of them. They did great.”
Roger Netsch, a teacher who volunteered to help monitor the walkers via bike, said he sensed a lot of the students didn’t expect it to be as difficult as it was.
“I think 65 or maybe 70 kids dropped out at Carlisle. Then maybe another 30 or 35 dropped out at Banner on the way back, and maybe 30 or so made it the whole way,” he said.
Ovan Garcia, who was the first student to make it all the way back to the high school, said he was surprised by how difficult it was.
“It was a lot harder than I expected. I felt like I was going so much slower on my way back," he said. “I don't think a lot of people made it the whole way."
Garcia said his competitive nature that kept him going.
“I had blisters and I got cramps. I thought about dropping out, but I really wanted to finish the whole thing," he said. “It was a cool assignment. I liked it."
The teachers agree that the Long Walk was a success and hope to host round two next year.
“The school has been really supportive," said Brenner. “I think the experience really helps the students relate to the main theme of the book. Which is exactly what we hope for.“
“Next year I hope it rains," said Southall. "That would add a whole other level to the lesson on enduring!“