Bikes brought to Emerson Elementary in an effort to ensure all kids are able to ride

Emerson Elementary was one of only three schools within the state that were part of a program teaching students to ride bikes.

The City of Hoquiam shared that the All Kids Bike Kindergarten Learn-to-Ride program visited Emerson thanks to an $18,000 grant to purchase a fleet of bikes in partnership with HDR foundation and All Kids bike.  

Three Title 1 Washington State elementary schools in Washington were included. This includes Emerson Elementary in Hoquiam, Hawthorne Elementary in Seattle, and Regal Elementary in Spokane.

All Kids Bike is intended to bring a fleet of bikes, pedal conversion kits, helmets, one teacher instruction bike, and certified curriculum teacher training, to the schools.

They said that it is everything needed to teach kids how to progress from balance to riding a bike in 8 lessons.

Funding for this program was made by HDR Foundation, who focuses their efforts on supporting education, healthy communities, and environmental stewardship.   

“We are so grateful to be able to support AKB’s mission and contribute to building healthy communities where we live and work.” Said Hannah Baumbach, Project Accountant with HDR. “Teaching kids how to bike early on creates opportunity and has the enormous potential to positively impact the individual, the community, and the natural environment. Going forward, we hope to see similar programs spread throughout Washington schools to keep our kids happy and active.” 

Lisa Weyer, Executive Director of the Strider Education Foundation explains, “The ability to ride a bike develops physical and mental well-being and instills confidence which can lead to better focus in the classroom.  Kindergarten is the perfect age to teach kids to ride a bike focusing on gross motor skills, balance, and coordination.  By teaching bike riding at the entry-level in a public school system, we are providing the knowledge and a positive foundation of a lifelong skill.”    

At the program reveal for Emerson Elementary, donor representatives from HDR were joined by City Administrator Brian Shay and school representatives for the bike delivery. This event served to represent a multi-school gift in which HDR provided a donation of $150,000 to All Kids Bike, designating $18,000 to 3 schools in Washington State, where HDR employees live and work.    

At Emerson, Hawthorne, and Regal, this program will teach approximately 246 kindergarten students how to ride a bike on an annual basis. 

With the equipment lifespan of 7-10 years, officials say that this will impact up to 2,460 kids over the next decade. 

ABOUT ALL KIDS BIKE
All Kids Bike is a national movement to place Kindergarten PE Learn-To-Ride Programs into public schools, using donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations. The All Kids Bike Kindergarten PE Program boasts an inclusive, proven Learn-To-Ride curriculum that offers every child the opportunity to experience the joy of two wheels. Launched in March 2018, there are already over 800 schools across all 50 states, teaching thousands of children how to ride over the next 7-10 years.

ABOUT HDR
For over a century, HDR has partnered with clients to shape communities and push the boundaries of what’s possible. Our expertise spans more than 11,000 employees in more than 200 locations around the world – and counting. Our engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services bring an impressive breadth of knowledge to every project. Our optimistic approach to finding innovative solutions defined our past and drives our future. For more information, please visit www.hdrinc.com.

About the HDR Foundation
The HDR Foundation provides grants to qualified organizations that align with HDR’s areas of expertise: education, healthy communities and environmental stewardship. Established in 2012 as an employee-funded and employee-driven foundation, we grant to organizations located in communities where HDR employees live and work. We give preference to organizations that demonstrate employee support and involvement. Since its inception, the HDR Foundation has provided over $6 million in grants to over 250 organizations. You can learn more at https://www.hdrinc.com/about-us/hdr-foundation.