National Bike to School Day was on Wednesday and lots of Greene County students and families participated, which was a culmination of a program that elementary students had been doing. 

Elementary School Physical Education Teacher Elijah Davis took over a biking program that retired educator Sean Thompson had started a few years ago. Davis tells Raccoon Valley Radio the biking unit is for all of the elementary grades for kindergarten through fourth and he appreciates how Thompson’s effort continued to carry the program into the future.

“For our second through fourth graders, they use kind of a bigger type of bike, and our first grade and kindergarten, we have 26 blue little strider bikes. They start out without pedaling and they just kind of use their feet and they push, and they push, and then they glide. And then, after they get used to that I can actually put pedals on those strider bikes. And we have seen a lot of kids learn how to ride a bike in literally just one class, which has been really cool.”   

Following the completion of the biking unit, Davis points out that the Jefferson Kiwanis Club donates free bike helmets to the students. Kiwanis member Tim Buenz says they get a grant through UnityPoint Health-Blank Children’s Hospital to purchase the helmets. 

Davis states that the fourth graders also get a free bike for those that don’t already have one. Jefferson Telecom General Manager and CEO Jamie Daubendiek says the Jefferson Foundation and the Daubendiek family donate the bikes to the kids.

During Wednesday’s Bike to School Day, Davis says there were some new additions made for participants, including a walking route to the elementary school for those who don’t have a bike or who can’t bike but still want to be a part of it, as well as inviting the middle school students to join. He explains how the middle school came into the mix.

“Well, (Middle School Principal Cara) Pedersen had reached out to our staff saying that she really likes that we do this. They were wondering if they could be included too, and our thoughts were, ‘Absolutely! The more the merrier.’ And you know, maybe next year the high school could do it too or something. So, we totally want to include everyone.” 

Davis is happy with how the event went, as Jefferson Kiwanis provided volunteers at the intersections of the roadways and the Jefferson Police Department escorted everyone out from the parking lot of Hy-Vee and along their respective routes.