Columbine Elementary School received 24 brand-new bikes for their kindergarten PE class, thanks to All Kids Bike, a nonprofit that is dedicated to teaching kindergartners how to ride bikes in PE class. This initiative was made possible through a generous donation of $100,000 from Yamaha Motor Corp. USA, which helped fund 11 programs in schools across the country, with Columbine being one of the recipients.
All Kids Bike’s mission is to provide every child in America with the opportunity to learn how to ride a bike in school. The Kindergarten Learn-to-Ride PE Program is currently active in over 1,000 schools across the country, and it provides comprehensive resources such as teacher training and certification, pedal conversion kits, an instructional bike for the teacher, and rolling metal bike storage racks. The bikes were assembled and presented to Columbine Elementary, along with 24 helmets and two bike racks.
Bart Thurman, PE Teacher at Columbine Elementary, expressed his excitement, stating, “Being able to have these bikes on site forever in order to teach our kindergarteners how to ride is life-changing.” He emphasized the transformative impact learning to ride a bike has for a child stating, “When a child learns to ride a bike, it gives them a huge boost of confidence, and helps them be more active overall.”
As students walked into the gym, they were met with the site of a colored parachute covering the bikes. As the big reveal began, the excitement of over 25 kindergartners echoed through the gymnasium with cheers and laughter. One by one, they were fitted with a helmet, jumped on a bike, and followed behind Mr. Thurman as they began practicing.
Kindergartner Jackson Morley is looking forward to learning how to ride a bike. “I’m excited because I’ll be able to learn how to ride one without training wheels,” says Jackson. Estefania Villanueva has experience riding and expressed her happiness with the new bikes at school, saying, “I’m glad I can keep practicing riding a bike in school.”