Connoquenessing Elementary School sixth graders have been tracking their steps for the past few months. Monday, the students tallied all the steps they've taken, and they figured out the 70 participants walked more than 11,000 miles, equivalent to almost half of Earth's circumference.

RENFREW — Connoquenessing Elementary School sixth graders have learned their everyday steps can go a long way.

For the past five weeks, 40 students and 30 staff have walked more than 11,000 combined miles, equivalent to almost half the planet's circumference. Their original goal was to see if they could walk from the school to Disney World, but once they passed that destination the first week, students decided to 'step' up their game to see if they could walk around the world.

Sixth graders and staff clip the pedometers onto the waist of their pants, and then they calculate their total steps into miles using a formula, determining the average number of miles they walk each day and week.

Zoe Wrinn, 11, had never imagined she had been walking between 40 to 55 miles a week. She usually averages about 18,000 steps each day. A lot of those steps come from softball practice and baby-sitting her younger siblings.

“Before this project, I had no idea what my steps and miles were,” Zoe said.

Even with the project wrapping up, she's hoping to continue keeping track.

“I was thinking of buying a pedometer,” she said.

Karen Robb, the sixth- grade teacher who led the project, said applying real-world scenarios in school are more effective in teaching students.

“So many kids ask, 'Are we ever going to use this?'” she said. “That's what's so beautiful about this project.”The pedometer project not only utilizes math and computer skills but also physical activity.Students were initially apprehensive about the project, but Robb said students then became enthusiastic, even seeing if they could incorporate more walking into their everyday life.“My parents use it against me. They say, 'Can you get me something? It would get you more steps,'” said Natalie Marburger, 12.Natalie determined she walked between 7,000 and 10,000 steps a day, which is between three and a half to five miles. She said she is slightly above the average person, who walks about 6,000 steps a day.Other students cited biking, gymnastics, hockey, soccer and track as their primary ways of getting more steps.The project was funded thanks to a creative teaching grant from the Golden Tornado Scholastic Foundation.

Results of the five-week pedometer project:• Number of participants: 40 sixth graders, 30 staff• Total steps taken by staff and students: 22,123,235• Total miles walked by staff and students: 11,062 miles• Student daily average: 14,293 steps• Staff daily average: 12,176 steps

Connoquenessing Elementary School sixth grader Ellie Weiss calculates her steps Monday at the school. For the past five weeks, 40 students and 30 staff tracked the amount of steps they took daily using a pedometer. Using a formula, the students determined the average number of miles they walked each day and week.