A motivational walk and rally will be held Saturday to champion fathers to participate in their children’s lives.

Meeting at 4 p.m. in Four Winds Plaza, supporters will walk together to the 5 p.m. rally at Tutu Park Mall.

At the end of the program, fathers will be asked to take a pledge to accompany their children to the first day of school on Tuesday.

Research shows that children whose fathers take an active role in their educational lives earn better grades, score higher on tests, enjoy school more and are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college. When fathers listen to and talk with children regularly, the youth have fewer behavior problems.

The V.I. Fathers March goes along with the Back to School Days of Prayer in the U.S. Virgin Islands, wherein clergy in territory are encouraged to pray for students returning to school.

To coordinate the Back to School Days of Prayer with the V.I. Fathers March, the sponsoring organizations – Jason Carroll Memorial Fund, V.I. Department of Human Services, and the Division of Paternity and Child Support – ask fathers, uncles, stepfathers, godfathers, grandfathers, foster fathers, big brothers, mentors and other male caregivers to attend the rally.