Education at Maurice Hawk Literacy Festival

Kids love to bike, so WWBPA's Chris Scherer had a rapt audience for his talk about bicycle safety at Maurice Hawk Elementary School's Literacy Festival held on April 30 and May 1st.

At the event, children and their parents learned about the importance of wearing a helmet, following the rules of the road, and how to ride safely at night. The kids enjoyed trying on helmets and taking a spin on the stationary bike. More than one parent came up to Chris after the talk to ask about buying a helmet.

As the mom of one of the children in the audience, I can attest to the fact that the kids learned something. During a recent ride, I saw my son hold two fingers up to his forehead to measure the gap between his eyebrows and his helmet. Chris had taught the kids the two-finger rule to test the helmet fit.

Special thanks goes to Chris Scherer for his hard work on preparing the talk and tailoring it to the K-3 level, and for his interactive and fun presentation. Abby Sorrell helped the talks go smoothly and made the children feel welcome. Joe Albanese was indispensable for his logistical support and technical expertise, and Mark Shallcross made wonderful visual aids. I'd also like to thank Halter's Cycles for lending us a stationary trainer and children's bicycle.


Thanks also to Principal Denise Mengani and Asst. Principal Patricia Buell for inviting the WWBPA to come and speak to the students of Maurice Hawk. And thank you to teacher Linda Bugher for organizing the event.

The Maurice Hawk Literacy Festival was an excellent way to reach our community with the WWBPA's message that bikes are fun, safe, healthy, and good for the environment. I hope we can do more such events in the future.

Written by: Catherine Zandonella