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- Healthy Communities Bike Safety Partnership: Let's Ride! in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
Four students had no prior experience with riding a bicycle, and through this course, learned to balance and ride without assistance. The students learned the ABC Quick Check and used it before they got on their bicycles. Helmets were fit, adjusted and worn during all of the bike riding skills. Not only did this group of 4th and 5th grade students learned how to safely ride, change and repair a tire tube and read a map, and they had fun doing it. The students were proud of their accomplishments, with their PE/Coaches encouraging them. The students learned the importance of physical activity, also. A 4-H smoothie bike was brought to the last class. The youth pedaled the bike, which turned the blades on the blender to make fruit and yogurt smoothies. They were encouraged to sample the smoothies. Most all of the students gave a thumbs up on the taste of the blender bike smoothies.
Following the Bike Safety Course, the students attended a series of six nutrition lessons taught by the Nutrition Agent. They learned about the MyPlate and the five food groups. Some of the key messages were: Make 1/2 your plate fruits and vegetables; Go lean with protein; Make 1/2 your grains whole grains; Include fat free or low-fat dairy and calcium rich foods; Eat a variety of foods and watch the portion sizes; Include 60 minutes of physical activity daily; Wash your hands and be safe with food.
Washington Elementary S.T.E.M. School in Kenner, Louisiana will be adding Activity Stencils to their playground next, to encourage the youth to be physically active and have fun during recess.
The video shows students mastering the bike drills before being allowed to participate in a group ride on the streets around the school.