Doss Elementary in Austin has just finished their first school year with the Boltage Program, an initiative to get students riding their bikes or walking to school. As BikeTexas reported in January, in the first three months of the program alone, the students at Doss rode a combined 14,501 miles.
Doss finished up the year by giving away a bike donated by Bicycle Sport Shop. Any student who walked or biked to school at least 70 times since October was eligible to win; happily, over 60 students met this criterion. The bike went to third grader Maxim, who, the school’s website says, was “VERY excited to win!”
Amanda Swann, the school’s Partners in Education Chair, says of the program, “The kids love it and the program is creating a better learning environment at our school!” This is in part, she explains, because “children who walk/ride to school are much better prepared to sit and learn and have gotten those ‘wiggles’ out on that trip to school instead of during school.” In short, Ms. Swann says the program has been “phenomenal” for Doss.
Doss is already looking forward to another year of the program beginning in August; the school website has a reminder about the students keeping their backpack tags (for scanning in as they arrive by bike or on foot each day) in a safe place over the summer.
For more information about the Boltage Program, see their website at http://www.boltage.org/index.html or contact Leslie@biketexas.org.
