Bike Brigades for Kids in Reston?

The Safe Routes to School Coaching Action Network is hosting a free webinar on building bike brigades to help children safely ride their bikes to school.

What an interesting idea. When my niece visited for two weeks, we drove her to camp every day and realized how much transportation is part of parenting. When she asked to come back again to visit for two weeks this coming summer I said, "yeah, and we’ll get you a bike." I looked into public transit for her but it didn’t meet her needs. But a kid with a bike in Reston, with all those paths, what freedom. (For the kids and parents - liberated from taxi services.)

Here is a description about the webinar, anyone is free to attend if you are interested in learning more about Safe Routes to School and bike brigades.

When most people think of Safe Routes to School, walking is the first thing that comes to mind.  However, cycling is another healthy, fun, and efficient way for children to travel to and from school and is a growing part of Safe Routes to School Programs across the country. Developing ways to encourage people to bike to school is a crucial component of expanding the reach of these Programs. By including bicycling in our Safe Routes to School toolkits we are able to potentially reach those living further away from their school.

In this sixty-minute webinar, we will discuss two successful Bike Train/Bike Brigade programs and provide insight into how you can replicate their success within your own SRTS programs. Lauren Marchetti, Director of the National Center for Safe Routes to School, will  begin the presentation with  a brief introduction and discussion of National Bike to School Day.  Next, Kiel Johnson, Founder of Bike Train PDX, will share invaluable tips on how to get a bike train running from the ground up.  Kiel helped organize a successful bike train from Beach School in Portland, Oregon.   Using that as a model, Kiel has spread bike trains to schools throughout the City.  And finally, Gina Overshiner, Bike Program Manager for PedNet Coalition in Columbia Missouri, will discuss how she built a Middle School Bike Brigade which rides every day, in conjunction with a school Bike Club and Bicycle Safety Education classes.  Gina will be joined by one of the seventh-grade girls, who bikes to school daily. 

This webinar is part of the Safe Routes to School Coaching Action Network Webinar Series, developed by America Walks and the National Center for Safe Routes to School.

For more information please contact Michelle Gulley at mgulley@americawalks.org

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Do you think it is safe for kids to bike in Reston? Would your kids be able to bike to school? Kids, do you bike to school? Share your thoughts.