Every kindergartener will have the opportunity to learn to ride a bike
Rapid City, S.D., Nov. 12—Black Hills Harley-Davidson (BHHD) donated 375 Strider Bikes to Rapid City Area Schools (RCAS). The bikes were assembled November 12 in the service department of Black Hills Harley-Davidson in a collaborative effort by various BHHD staff, who volunteered their time, along with RCAS employees.
This generous donation will help approximately 6,000 kindergarten students learn to ride over the next five years. The Strider Bikes will be delivered to every kindergarten physical education class in the district and will be incorporated into their curriculum between December 2018 and spring 2019. Rapid City elementary schools will receive everything they need to get their students pedaling (through the Kindergarten P.E. program). The program includes a proven, integrative curriculum, staff training and certification, and the revolutionary, child-friendly Strider 14x Sport bikes.
“This is an exciting new venture for our staff and students and we are grateful and proud that Rapid City Area Schools is the first district to launch the initiative,” said RCAS Superintendent Dr. Lori Simon. “Numerous studies show that riding a bike not only improves physical fitness, it also benefits student learning, development and mental health. Black Hills Harley-Davidson’s generous donation of 375 Strider Bikes will give every kindergartner in our district an opportunity to experience the lifelong benefits of knowing how to ride a bike.” The fleet of dual-propulsion 14x Striders start as balance bikes and convert to pedal bikes. This conversion makes learning to ride easier than ever before and makes training wheels obsolete.
“The surest path to securing our future is to focus our collective energy on our goal to build the next generation of Harley-Davidson riders,” said Al Rieman, co-owner of BHHD. “We must become as good at building new riders as we are at building great motorcycles and creating unmistakable Harley-Davidson experiences.”
The iconic dealership is donating the bikes through the Adopt-A-School Program, part of the nonprofit Strider Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. Rieman emphasized, “For us to all become great at building new riders, and to work collectively, we must realize that the love of riding has to start at an early age. That’s why we’re proud to support the Strider Education Foundation and create the next generation of riders in Rapid City.”
“We are super excited about this district-wide rollout,” said Ryan McFarland, Founder, President and CEO of Strider Sports Int’l. “Our vision is for every kid in America to learn to ride before first grade. Having Black Hills Harley Davidson step up in such a big way to support Rapid City Area Schools is a huge first step toward seeing our vision become reality. And it’s a great way to kick off our ‘All Kids Bike’ national campaign.”
The Strider Education Foundation staff also offers continued support for each school to ensure everyone involved is successful.
About Black Hills Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson has a long and storied history here in the Black Hills. After being represented by several different dealers over the early years it was re-established as Black Hills Harley-Davidson in 1978 located in Rapid City, SD. Over the years we have grown with western SD to become one of the nation’s largest H-D dealers. BHHD is known nationwide for being a premier dealership with Certified Harley-Davidson Technicians, friendly parts staff, helpful MotorClothes associates and a knowledgeable motorcycle sales team. Each year in August, BHHD plays host to hundreds of thousands of guests as well as the motorcycle industry’s best brands and companies who showcase their products on our 40-acre layout during the world-famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Learn more at Blackhillshd.com.
About Rapid City Area Schools
The Rapid City Area Schools (RCAS) serves nearly 14,000 students and employs approximately 1,800 people. Nearly half of our RCAS teachers have advanced degrees and the average teacher in the RCAS has 14.2 years of experience. Our District is rich in diversity. Twenty-one percent of RCAS students are Native American.
The RCAS is the state’s second largest district and is home to 15 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, two comprehensive high schools and one alternative high school. The District owns nearly 700 acres of land in and around Rapid City and maintains 30 buildings with a collective two million square feet.
RCAS is committed to building tomorrow’s community through inspiration, innovation, and excellence! The District recently launched Strategic Plan 2022. The aggressive five-year plan focuses on five key areas: Reading proficiently by 3rd grade; 21st Century Learning; College, Career & Life Readiness; Teaching & Leading; and School & Community Partnerships.
About Strider Education Foundation
The Strider Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, was formed in 2017. The Strider Education Foundation believes that learning to ride can help everyone lead a happier and healthier life. Through the development of a proven Learn-To-Ride curriculum and donations of the world’s most advanced training bikes, the nonprofit organization makes riding available, safe, easy, and fun for everyone.
