High School Adaptive Bike Day at Lakeshore State Park
In 2022 the Physical Education Department at Milwaukee Public Schools utilized a share of Covid-related ESSER Funding (Elementary School and Secondary Education Relief) to work with the Wisconsin Bike Fed and Emerys Cycles to build and acquire a fleet of adaptive bikes. These bikes range from trikes, to hand powered paracycles, and even trail-along bikes to ensure that our scholars in the district, regardless of their physical ability, can experience the joy of riding a bike.
Since then these bikes have been used in a variety of ways, from being put on trainers in the Winter so students can work with their Occupational Therapists to being included when a fleet of two-wheeled bikes go out to schools so that we can reach greater inclusion in both Bike Fed and Phy Ed programs.
On October 10, 2024 these bikes were brought to Lakeshore State Park on Milwaukee’s lakefront for the 2nd biannual MPS Adaptive Bike Day. This event buses in High School scholars with adaptive needs from across the district to experience riding a bike, often for the first time, in the safety of a closed loop around Lakeshore State Park. This Fall three High Schools participated, Hamilton HS, South Division HS, and Marshall HS, with the intention of a new set of schools to participate in the Spring. Eighty scholars of various needs participated with smiles abound.
The Bike Fed also brought our Cycling Without Age trishaw to the event so that students who may have been apprehensive or struggled with fine motor skills could still participate. Several students were stressed about wearing helmets due to sensory issues. The trishaw, since it is piloted by someone else and has seat belts, allowed these students to safely participate for loops around the trail. After their initial hesitation to ride their own bike and upon discovering the joy of movement, a couple of them decided to grab a helmet and try out a bike for themselves. One young lady then rode continuously for the next hour!
Research and practice in the field of youth adaptive bike interventions is nascent; MPS and the Bike Fed plan on being a part in establishing best practices and sharing our experiences with other bike educators, health and activity advocates, and disability specialists. Gearing up towards our Spring Adaptive Bike Day, the Bike Fed will continue supporting MPS Phy Ed in their goal of building out truly inclusive bike programming so that all students regardless of their ability, be they blind, deaf, or have other needs, can experience the transformative power of bikes.
Do you have a similar program in your community?
We’d love to hear from you and exchange experiences and inspiration! Please reach out to Milwaukee Youth Education Manager Michael Anderson at michael.anderson@wisconsinbikefed.org.