Just before snowflakes fell on Monday afternoon, a class of third graders at Patrick Henry K-8 School were outside in the school basketball court learning how to ride bikes.
For three weeks every school year, all third graders at Alexandria City Public Schools are fitted with Trek bikes and taught bicycle safety and riding by volunteers and staff working with the Alexandria Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee‘s (BPAC) Bicycling in the Schools initiative. This school year, 1,266 students are in the program, which is currently seeking more volunteers.
Nicole Radshaw, the pedestrian and bike support specialist overseeing the program, said that two-thirds of 118 third graders at Patrick Henry were beginners or uncomfortable riders when she started working with them a few weeks ago.
“Either they’d never ridden a bike before, or they only ride a bike with training wheels,” Radshaw said. “I just had a girl come up to me in the hallway. This is her third lesson today, and she’s like, ‘I can pedal now!’ … She’s so excited.”
The program also teaches kids the rules of the road, said Kristin Donley, an ACPS instructional specialist focusing on family life and education.
“We live in an area where not all of our students are going to drive cars one day, and we want them to have ways that they can access their community safely,” Donley said, “That means how to recognize signs and signals, and how to be ready for an unplanned circumstance, whether it’s a pothole or a car door swinging open.”
Each of the city’s 14 elementary schools have bikes for students in multiple grade levels, and this program is included in every third grader’s physical education class.
Eldon Boes, a retired federal environmental expert, started volunteering with the program when it launched in 2016. A lifelong cyclist, he volunteers throughout the school system between three and five days each week.
“Almost all my local transportation for 60 years has been on my bicycle,” Boes said. “I think, in some sense the most important thing is that they learn how much fun it is to ride a bike, how much freedom it gives you, how much independence it gives you. This is such an efficient way to get around.”
The program is currently seeking more volunteers, and Boes said the team needs help.
“I learned a long time ago that I feel good when I’m trying to do good, and that’s what volunteering is all about,” Boes said. “There will be some weeks when in some classes the teacher is alone and only has one volunteer, and that makes it a lot harder to help all the children at the stage they’re in.”
More volunteer opportunities
There are more than 5,500 volunteers throughout the school system, said Kathy Mimberg, a volunteer specialist for ACPS.
Mimberg said the school system currently needs reading tutors for elementary schoolers and school garden volunteers.
“I want to convey my appreciation for all of our ACPS volunteers, and for the contributions and support they give to our schools and students,” Mimberg said.
All applicants must undergo a background check, agree in writing to adhering to a code of conduct and talk with her on Zoom before getting approved.
