Several staff and volunteers had the chance to check out a new trail today with some incredible kids in the Earn-A-Bike program, through a partnership between BWorks and the International Institute of St. Louis.
This youth partnership came together for two reasons: 1. We wanted to offer support as IISTL has faced major funding cuts, and 2. We kept hearing concerns that young people were receiving bicycles for transportation without helmets, locks, lights, or the essential knowledge of how to use any of it safely.
Now, these kids get the full package — refurbished donated bikes, new helmets, bright lights, secure locks, and 12 hours of hands-on instruction to help them ride confidently and safely.
They were doing so well today that instead of staying in a parking lot practicing drills, as would be normal on this particular week of class, they got to take a full five-mile ride through multiple neighborhoods, putting their new skills to use even as they look toward more guided riding with our team still to come.
Our dedicated teachers guided 11 groups of BWorks students in a wide variety of Earn-A-Bike, Earn-A-Computer and Learn-To-Ride lessons this week. Much of that learning and fun took place at local schools and at our headquarters, and still other sessions brought us to Vitendo4Africa and the International Institute. We also led another #bikebus on Wednesday morning and afternoon, with the weather cooperating beautifully for riding together to and from school. We finished out this mostly sunny and happily busy week with a bustling Saturday at the shop — big thanks to everyone who joined us and pitched in on a multitude of fronts!
Earn-A-Bike students pause during their four-mile BWorks graduation ride on October 14 for photos and popsicles inside “Calico Jack’s,” the name given by one of the City Garden fourth graders to a specific tree in Tower Grove Park.
When St. Louis BWorks teacher Chad McCullough pulled up on his bike at City Garden Montessori School after helping guide young cyclists to school on their own bikes earlier this month, upper-elementary teacher Jean Turney handed him a stack of cards from her fourth graders, who all graduated from Earn-A-Bike just a couple weeks ago.
The cards were individual thank-you notes addressed to Chad and fellow BWorks teacher Pat Matthews, who recently devoted six Tuesday afternoons to guiding the kids through lessons ranging from bike anatomy, to fixing flats, to riding safely.
It was wonderful to see what each student wrote — and to view the class through the kids’ energetic eyes.
Turney’s 12 fourth graders are some of the latest to graduate this year from BWorks’ Earn-A-Bike program, which through a Safe Routes To School grant is introducing basic bike safety and maintenance skills to every fourth grader at five St. Louis elementary schools this school year: City Garden, Oak Hill, Walbridge (& Hickey students now based there), Froebel and Patrick Henry.
Below are just a few of many gems these particular BWorks graduates shared, and which we’re sharing with their schoolteacher’s blessing.
“I loved going to Tower Grove Park. It was so beautiful biking in Tower Grove Park. Thank you for teaching me the ABC Safety Check. … My mom [was] going to sell her bike, but she wanted to keep it now that I can ride my bike and she wants to go to the park and stuff and ride with me.”
“You truly are amazing! In the first week, we started to get to know each other — we were finding our helmet size, then got straight to work. … [On Day 4] we were weaving with our bikes, and fell sometimes, as well as not braking. Mr. Chad and Ms. Pat kept us encouraged. … On to the fifth week, we were biking again, and still had our ups and downs, but we never gave up. Sixth week I got sad because I knew we would only have one week left of BikeWorks. That day the bike container came [see picture below], and while we were waiting we did the slowest race ever on our bikes!”
“BikeWorks was SO MUCH FUN!!!!! And I wish I could do it again. Thank you for giving us a BIKE!!! And a LOCK. We learned how to take apart and build a bike and the same for tires. We learned bike safe bike smart.”
“I loved doing the drop test and designing my beautiful helmet. It was so fantastic learning about all the parts of the bike. I will always remember the ABC Safety Check before I go on my bike.”
“I’m very glad you were my teacher, because you taught me hand signals that I did not know! It was very interesting. But my favorite part was the last day! I loved biking to Tower Grove Park. I loved Calico Jack’s and the popsicles. And I loved the snacks!”
“I loved going to Calico Jack’s and showing everyone [the tree]. Oh and thank you for teaching me how to shift gears.”
“Thank you so much for spending your time on us and teaching us new skills. … From the beginning to the end you guys always were by our side. You taught us hand signals, how to rebuild a bike and how to work a bike lock. I loved how you guys made it harder and harder every day. It was thrilling when we rode to Tower Grove Park.”
“Thank you again for being a great BikeWorks person and that is it. Bye.”
We hope these great descriptions brought a smile to your face as well, dear reader.
Also: It’s that time of year where our final six-week BWorks cohorts of the year are already fully registered, but we’ll be releasing more class options for early 2026 very soon! Be sure to check out the registration page at https://www.bworks.org/classes/ for the latest options for getting started in Learn-To-Ride, Earn-A-Bike or Earn-A-Computer.
We’re celebrating 12 brand-new bike riders as we look back on this week, each of them graduating from a four-week Learn-To-Ride cohort that wrapped up in recent days. We also kicked off our first-ever Earn-A-Bike cohort at the International Institute of St. Louis this weekend! Meanwhile, our Humboldt crew got more practice on their chosen bikes during aftercare, and our City Garden Montessori #bikebus was rolling again, with 49(!) K-8 students joining Wednesday’s guided ride to school. We also talked in depth about bike safety with two eager packs of scouts this week, assisting with their evening bike rodeos at local elementary schools. And on the computer side of things, our dedicated staff and volunteers geared up for two more fast-approaching Earn-A-Computer launches, one onsite and one in partnership with Vitendo4Africa in Hazelwood. It’s a busy fall so far! Learn more about how you can help at https://www.bworks.org/donate/.
