‘They Can Feel Like Little Superheroes’: How We’re Helping Students Gain Bike Skills Statewide

By Hannah Weinberger

Students are all smiles during an in-school bicycle education class.

For many of us, learning to ride a bicycle during childhood was our first taste of transportation freedom. But not everyone gets that opportunity or feels confident on a bike when they do. We’re managing an initiative to change this.

The Statewide School-Based Bicycle Education Program teaches bike skills and can provide new bikes and safety equipment. The program is now in its second year. It has already educated more than 12,000 kids across Washington. It’s also given more than 1,000 students new bikes and safety equipment.

One of those children is fifth grader Alex Villa-Gomez in Orondo. He received his first bicycle through the program. His mother, Maria Gomez, shared that she didn’t have an opportunity to learn to ride when she was younger. She’s excited to know her son and many other children are getting this opportunity.

The program will train at least 90% of Washington students in 3rd through 12th grades to safely ride to and from school, for fitness and for fun. Students and schools can join at no extra cost.

Students who use adaptive bicycles participate in the Statewide School-Based Bicycle Education Program.

Putting education in motion

State legislators established the program in 2022. They funded it through the Move Ahead Washington transportation package with Climate Commitment Act revenues. Legislators wanted to help students become more capable bicyclists by learning skills and street safety.

There are many reasons to support children in learning to ride. Bike riding is a fun and useful way to build exercise and time outdoors into a child’s day. It helps students develop motor skills, improve their mood, concentrate in school and even do better on tests. Importantly, it also helps students realize early that there are many ways to travel. Bike education highlights transportation options. If students choose to drive when they get older, their biking experience will help them stay aware of people who choose not to drive.

Legislators wanted an experienced non-profit partner to deliver the education.

A contractor search led us to Cascade Bicycle Club. Cascade has provided bicycle education to students in Puget Sound since 2014. We contracted with Cascade to adjust and expand their work for a statewide audience. The program launched with both in-school and after-school programs in 2023.

It has since expanded quickly. The program grew 75% between it first and second years, serving 70 schools in 13 counties. More than half of students live in overburdened communities, or those facing multiple environmental and health harms.

Parents say their students are already getting more exercise. Plus, they feel more confident and independent!

Students participating in the Statewide School-Based Bicycle Education Program learn about different hand signals to use while bicycling. 

How the program works

Students have opportunities to learn the ropes both in and after school.

In-school programming:

• 3rd through 5th grades: Physical education and health teachers share the “Let’s Go” curriculum in their classes. It covers learning to ride, as well as the rules of the road. Teachers use the provided materials over four or five weeks, with about two 30-minute lessons each week.
• 6th through 8th grades: In 2023, Cascade started piloting the “Let’s Go Further” curriculum. Some schools have existing bicycles from a previous Safe Routes to School program. This provides “Let’s Go” to older students at those schools.

After-school programming:

• 6th through 12th grades: Teachers from local partner organizations lead students after school. Classes might be held on school grounds or at partner facilities. This 26-lesson course covers everything from learning to ride to using bikes as transportation. Teachers start with the first course or jump ahead depending on students’ existing knowledge. The program can last a few weeks to an entire academic year. After-school students also learn trip planning so they can organize safe trips and bike maintenance so they can fix their own bikes.

All students can receive a new bicycle and safety equipment like helmets, locks and lights after completing the program.

A bicycle education student practices their bike handling skills. 

Cascade also trains staff on overseeing the program for network schools. Schools manage their own bicycle fleets, maintenance, budgets and staff training schedules. Cascade provides free full-day training directly to teachers on how to do these things. They also provide guidance and support as needed. So far, 183 teachers have taken the training, and 14 teachers have been tapped to train their peers.

Teachers enjoy sharing bike skills with students. One instructor shared that it helps kids develop a growth mindset, and – we love this – “feel like little superheroes.” They feel strong, and good about themselves.

More bike skills, more opportunities

Our program works with partners to include students who may need accommodations to participate. That’s because learning to ride a bike can completely change a student’s life for the better.

Take Tacoma high schooler Visett. He shared with his school’s special needs educator that he wanted to learn to ride last year. The educator partnered with Cascade Bicycle Club’s after-school program manager. Both adults started meeting with Visett weekly after school and loaned him a bike to practice with at home.

Within three weeks, Visett replaced his daily 30-minute walk to school with bike trips. By the end of the school year, he earned a Bicycling Certificate of Achievement along with a new bike, helmet, lock and lights.

Bicycling is already helping Visett access new opportunities. He is riding to the local library and his new job at Safeway. He is also teaching himself more bike skills. After getting a flat tire, Visett used a school computer to learn how to fix it himself.

Looking ahead

We expect the program to reach up to 160,000 youth by the end of 2027. By then we’ll have the help of more than three times as many partner organizations. Parents or school staff interested to learn more about the program or when it might come to your community can visit Cascade Bicycle Club’s website.