Program Highlight: Earn-A-Bike Programs Gives Youth a Path For Life
On My Way, On My Bike opened its doors the day after one of Boston’s bloodiest Fourth of July holidays. It is a collaboration among the nonprofit Bikes Not Bombs, the city of Boston, and Brandy Cruthird, who runs a nonprofit fitness program in Roxbury for city youths.
The new summer program emphasizes fitness, self-esteem, and self-confidence, and the children are encouraged to participate in year-round activities of Bikes Not Bombs, which is dedicated to peace and social change. In fact, the youth instructors at On My Way are alumni of Bikes Not Bombs, and they will speak to the participants about guns and violence and how to avoid them.
Participants who meet the requirements of riding and maintenance can keep the bike at the end. The used bicycles were donated by the city, as were locks and helmets. Though many children consider helmets uncool, the youngsters were put through an egg drop exercise the first day, in which it was demonstrated - with a resounding splat - what could happen to them if they do not protect their heads.
For high school and middle school aged students, Bikes not Bombs has co-ed and girls only Earn-A-Bike programs where youth pick out a bike, learn to rebuild it, learn about bike mechanics and repair and bike safety and then keep the bike. They also have vocational programs where youth learn how to become a bike shop mechanics or sales employee. All the programs are low cost.
More information at Bikesnotbombs.org/youth.
-Above from: “ Bike program gives youth a path for life”, by Bella English, Globe Staff , The Boston Globe, July 25, 2011, http://search.boston.com/local/Search.do?s.sm.query=bike&s.tab=globe&s.si%28simplesearchinput%29.sortBy=-articleprintpublicationdate&st=basic&type=current&s.dateRange=year andhttp://bikesnotbombs.org/youth
7/11