The BikeTexas Safe Routes to School program has been recognized by the City of Amarillo for the contributions the program has made to that community. Mayor Debra McCartt selected Texas Bicycle Coalition as the Amarillo Nonprofit of the Month for March 2006.

The Coalition was also recognized with the Most Interactive Award for its exhibit at the 19th Annual Parent Education Seminar, presented by Amarillo ISD, Amarillo ISD PTA Council, Canyon ISD and Canyon ISD PTA Council. Local Outreach Coordinators Joyce Cunningham and Fernando Martinez accepted both awards for their role in implementing the BikeTexas Safe Routes to School program in Amarillo.

Coronado Elementary School is On the Go for Bicycle Safety. Vice-Principal Delores Scott and Physical Education teacher Jerry Smith invited Fernando Martinez and Joyce Cunningham of Texas Bicycle Coalition to demonstrate some of the Texas SuperCyclist Curriculum activities. On Friday, March 24, the third, fourth and fifth grade students participated in the importance of wearing a helmet, proper helmet fitting, mock handlebar exercise, traffic hand signals, Texas bicycle laws, importance of bicycle repair and maintenance, safe cycling practices and bicycle parts identification relay as part of their morning workout.

Friday, March 10 was an in-school field trip day at Coronado Elementary School. Students were allowed to choose what skills they wanted to learn more about and visit classes without leaving their school campus. The presenters came to the students for this unusual event. 

Who knew that parenting would be so hard?

Well, there’s help in the Amarillo area. Amarillo and Canyon Independent School Districts and the Council of Parent Teacher Associations hosted the 19^th annual day-long seminar on Parenting: The Underdeveloped Skill. Downtown Amarillo Civic Center housed more than 45 exhibits and 60 classes with Amarillo College CUEs offered. If that’s not enough, a catered lunch was provided; child care for the evening sessions and door prizes were added incentives.

{mosmedia}The Amarillo ISD Council PTA invited Texas Bicycle Coalition Local Outreach Coordinators Fernando Martinez and Joyce Cunningham to make a presentation about the BikeTexas Safe Routes to School program to their March 6th meeting.

Entertainment for the day was presented by the de Zavala 6^th grade choir. Their melodic young voices welcomed 30 PTA Presidents and representatives to the meeting of the Amarillo Independent School District Council PTA. Several songs later, a standing ovation for the group brought smiles to their faces as they exited the platform. It was a very good performance.

A 15-minute PowerPoint presentation by Cunningham and assisted by Martinez bought parents' safety concerns to light as they all admitted they didn't know the 7 Traffic Laws regarding bicycle safety.