This op-ed was written by UVM student Sage Lepore as part of a public communications service learning project.

The purpose of bike education goes far beyond basic bicycle handling skills, traffic signs, and signals. Incorporating these practices in school curriculum can improve health, academic/mental benefits, independence, and a sense of sustainability amongst communities.

Whether students are biking to school or during school hours, their physical activity is significantly increasing throughout their day. Cycling helps develop cardiovascular fitness, improves muscular strength and endurance, and enhances coordination and balance. From a public health standpoint, cycling at a young age can help reduce risk factors associated with things like obesity, heart disease, and other health problems. A Life Course perspective reveals how habits surrounding positive and consistent physical activity can be established early on to then be carried into adolescence and adulthood.

Physical activity can be strongly linked with mental well-being. Students who report riding at least once a week also report higher levels of mental well-being than those who ride less often or not at all. Whether you’re studying for an exam, preparing for a presentation, or suffer from anxiety due to social settings, no matter the level of education, school can be pretty stressful. Cycling can be a way to combat this. Getting outside in nature has been associated with positive mental health benefits, particularly for those facing high levels of stress. Having a clearer mind is beneficial in academic settings in order to improve focus and work ethic.

Through these lessons of learning how to ride safely, understanding traffic, and navigating the environment, students are able to gain a sense of independence. Aside from this knowledge, mastering the skill of biking in general can greatly boost confidence and students can carry this positive self-image into other areas of their life such as school. Gaining a new way to explore without reliance on adults fosters responsibility and decision-making skills.

Lastly, community ties can become stronger through cycling, especially if kids, parents, neighborhoods, classes, etc., are all traveling together. Going back to integrating positive habits, some students may carry these behaviors further into their lives which will support sustainability efforts such as reducing emissions and decreasing traffic. Not only does this create visibility for combatting environmental degradation, it also brings light to encouraging improved infrastructure within the community such as bike lanes, sidewalks, and overall making the streets safer.

With the help of the Center for Health and Learning, as well as Local Motion, Vermont schools are equipped with the curriculum to support bike education. Bike Smart is a bike skills education program for children ages 5 and up. After being trained in the Bike Smart curriculum, any Vermont organization that serves at least 25 children in grades k-8 are able to use a Bike Smart trailer for at least one full week. These trailers are equipped with bikes, helmets, disinfectant, and training materials. This curriculum makes it possible for the benefits listed above to flourish within Vermont school systems!

Although it is beneficial for children to learn about biking in school, being able to implement that knowledge outside of the classroom relies on the built environment of the community. Low-income and historically marginalized communities face a number of compounding issues from disparities in infrastructure, safety concerns, and limited access to safe places to ride and be active. Adopting similar strategies as Local Motion such as advocacy and legislative work, technical assistance in the form of the Complete Streets program, infrastructure planning, and policy reform can greatly push underserved communities towards a safer environment, higher access to green spaces, and encouragement of physical activity. Overall, bike education – supported by infrastructure, community-programs, advocacy, and curriculum – improves student well-being, strengthens communities, and creates safer spaces for physical activity.