Jan 28, 2020 2 min read

Riding a bike is one of the joys of childhood.

But not all kids have access to bikes, or an adult with enough free time to teach them.

Washington Park Elementary School has partnered with the American Heart Association to provide bicycles for children in kindergarten through third grade to use at school.

Physical education teacher Julie Fuerst received a $5,000 grant from the AHA to purchase bikes that students can ride during the school day.

In October, the school purchased nearly 50 regular and adaptive bikes – BMX bikes, balance bikes, easy rollers, Radio Flyers and scooters for children with different ability levels – and helmets for children to use.

“The purpose is to increase physical activity and for the children to get in more exercise in a fun way,” said Fuerst, noting multiple academic studies have shown that physical activity contribute to improved academic performance.

“I believe riding bikes contributes to increased attendance and it stimulates students’ ability to learn and pay attention in the classroom,” said Fuerst.

Teachers are using the bikes as a reward for students, who earn a bike day for a number of reasons – strong classroom performance or good behavior, for example.

Students can ride bikes inside the gym or outside on a flat, fenced-in area.

Fuerst said the bike program has been well-received, and students in the life skills and autistic support classes use the bikes nearly every day.

“The students enjoy it, and the teachers have said it’s been great,” said Fuerst.

Fuerst is pursuing other grants to purchase additional bicycles, too.

Among the programs she is pursuing is All Kids Bike, which provides bikes and riding instruction in physical education classes for kindergarten students.

“It’s been really great,” said Fuerst. “The bikes have been a nice addition to our school.”