Living in Maine, we have some real thermal challenges in the winter months. There are more than a few of us who own fatbikes and push through the season with toe-warmers, overboots, goggles and bar mitts, but taking teenagers out into the arctic conditions without proper clothing and studded tires is a non-starter. So we asked ourselves: what can we do to maintain the energy we have built around cycling during the months when it's tough to get out there? We think we may have come up with an answer. Our friends at The Chewonki Foundation , our amazing partner in many place-based, environmental learning initiatives, reached out to us after we received the Riding For Focus grant from The Specialized Foundation. They were excited about the program and asked if there was a way they could get involved with it. I had met a teacher from Sacramento while at the RFF training in August who offered expert advice and resources for building a school-based bike repair program. Using h
The Specialized Foundation uses cycling as a tool for children to achieve academic, health and social success. Through investments in primary scientific medical research and school-based cycling programs, our mission is to increase accessibility to cycling to aid youth in personal development and education. In 2017, Bath Middle School was one of twenty schools in the United States to receive the Riding For Focus grant.