Bike program teaching central Illinois kids how to ride

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — A national program is working to put bikes in kindergarten PE classes to teach every child in America how to ride.

The Strider Education Foundation's All Kids Bike program is already active in six elementary schools in central Illinois. Through donations, participating schools receive 24 bikes, helmets and eight structured lessons.

Lisa Weyer, executive director of the Strider Education Foundation, said fewer children are learning to ride bikes than many might expect.

"I ask how many kids knew how to ride a bike at the start. It amazes me the number of kids [who] just aren't getting that chance to learn how to ride a bike. It's usually about one in four kids [who] will not have that chance," Weyer said.

Schools that receive the equipment are not required to return it. Weyer said the program is designed to serve students for years.

"They keep those bikes for as long as they want. That program has a lifespan of about 10 years. So, we just hope that for the next 10 years, that school is teaching kindergarteners over and over how to ride bikes," Weyer said.

Weyer said the program gives children who do not own a bike access to instruction during the school day.

"It's amazing when we get to see these kids see those bikes for the first time. The smiles, the excitement of knowing that they get that chance to learn how to ride a bike in school, or if they do know how to ride, they get that activity in PE class," Weyer said.

Feitshans Elementary in Springfield is currently fundraising to bring the program to its school.

The program is already at Harvard Park Elementary and Hazel Dell Elementary in Springfield, Riddle Elementary and Arland D. Williams Jr. Elementary in Mattoon, Parrish Elementary in Carbondale, and Rochester Elementary in Rochester.

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