The City of Fort Collins, Poudre School District and local K-12 students will celebrate the second annual National Bike to School Day on May 8. Many local schools will roll out the red carpet to encourage kids to bike to school that day.
National Bike to School Day provides an opportunity for schools across the nation to join together to celebrate active transportation and the benefits to children’s health, academic achievement and the environment.
“National Bike to School Day is a perfect opportunity for families to give biking a try,” says Nancy Nichols, Safe Routes to School coordinator for the City.
Several local schools will provide activities and incentives for students who pedal to school. PSD schools scheduled to participate include Fort Collins High School, Rocky Mountain High School, Blevins Middle School, Lesher Middle School, Bauder Elementary, Beattie Elementary, Kruse Elementary, Johnson Elementary, Laurel Elementary, Linton Elementary, Lopez Elementary, Riffenburgh Elementary, Shepardson Elementary, Werner Elementary and Zach Elementary. Blevins, Lesher, and RMHS are among local schools planning to celebrate the entire week of May 6-10 with cycling activities.
“Riding to school is the perfect way to kick off the day for your child,” says Tim Halliday, PE teacher at Shepardson Elementary. “The kids who ride to school in the morning are more engaged academically when they arrive to their first class. Some people don’t realize how lucky we are to live in a community that is so accepting of cyclists. We’re very fortunate to live in a city full of bike paths and lanes, and we should be taking advantage of it.”
On May 8 at Shepardson, students will enjoy a bike rodeo, a station for snacks and drinks, a mechanic station and a helmet-check station for about an hour before school.
This encouragement campaign supports the City’s goal of getting at least 50 percent of local school children walking or biking to school regularly and teaching 11,000 K-12 students annually about how to safely bike/walk to school.
For more information on the City of Fort Collins’ efforts on safe travel and the Safe Routes to School program, visit fcgov.com/saferoutes.
Support Northern Colorado Journalism
Show your support for North Forty News by helping us produce more content. It's a kind and simple gesture that will help us continue to bring more content to you.
BONUS - Donors get a link in their receipt to sign up for our once-per-week instant text messaging alert. Get your e-copy of North Forty News the moment it is released!
Click to Donate