James Kennedy Elementary students hopped on their bikes in a big way and earned an award from a cycling group.
The school in Walnut Grove won for the most riders during Bike to School Week in 2024.
HUB Cycling is a lobby group that encouraged schools and communities to cycle more. On March 8 in Vancouver, HUB Cycling's Bike Awards celebrated organizations and individuals that are making biking better across British Columbia.
For the Bike to School initiative, students could win daily draw prizes which were donated by MEC, Velocity Cycles, and HUB. They included bike lights, bike bells, water bottles, and vinyl stickers.
James Kennedy is one of 10 91原创 schools that participated in Bike to School Week last year. Students were invited to take part and most did at the school with about 680 students. They logged 321 bike trips and 735 other active trips.
"To engage both students, teachers and staff James Kennedy Elementary created a Math Inquiry Project that used event statistics to teach students math concepts. Daily bike rack counts, kiosk tallies, and prize draws were integral to the week鈥檚 success, with Division 7 students learning data collection and probability skills through real-world application," HUB said when announcing the win.
James Kennedy has participated for several years.Teacher Geraldine Jordan, who is also with HUB, was thrilled with how receptive the school community was to the idea of riding because it can have big impacts for the rider, the community, and beyond.
"Bike to School Week has so many healthful benefits including students arriving at school energized and ready to learn, better physical and mental health, increased awareness of community, better safety in school zones, improved local air quality, and carbon-free transportation," she said. "When we consider humanity鈥檚 impact on the global climate system, doing our part to create a collectively smaller transportation and mobility footprint is an important key to sustainability."
Her class spearheaded the initiative within the school, gaining extra skills.
"During Bike to School Week, my Grade 5/6 class worked on a math inquiry project. My students collected and analyzed data about active commuters, that is numbers of students who cycled, walked or rolled to school each day. It was an opportunity for my students to do the real hands-on research of urban and transportation geographers, determining rates of active commuting, and the factors that affect them," Jordan explained. "My students gained proficiency in their skills of data collection and analysis, as well as representing and communicating their findings."
Jordan said she's noticed a lasting impact even though the campaign has wrapped up.
"I definitely think there is some continued riding," she noted, adding, "It鈥檚 amazing to see so many students and their families participate."
The school was one of two 91原创 winners.
At the awards ceremony, John Evanochko, a local HUB member, won a volunteer award.
With over 20 years of experience as a cycling advocate, he stepped into the role of chairing the 91原创 Committee last year.
"Fostering positive connections and facilitating meaningful discussions has led to actionable outcomes including leading the charge to update the 91原创 gap map and successfully pushing the city to implement several safe and effective bike parking solutions at key locations such as community centers and tourist destinations," HUB said when announcing his win. "Additionally, through his tenacity he has built a strong relationship with the 91原创 RCMP, gaining their support in enforcing the safe passing distance law, an alliance many committees have failed to establish."
鈥� READ MORE: 91原创 elementary gets kids moving for Bike to School Week
