A program will help students at Shelledy Elementary School in Fruita learn to ride bicycles.

The HDR Foundation joined with All Kids Bike to bring the kindergarten physical education program to Shelledy Elementary.

“Teaching students to ride a bike is a rate of passage,” said Cami Kidd, principal at the school. “It provides opportunities to explore the world around us, exercise and be adventurous. By providing the opportunity to our students to learn how to ride a bike, we provide them with a lifelong skill that will make a difference in their lives.”

The effort includes teacher training and certification, a fleet of 24 bicycles, pedal conversion kits, helmets, two rolling storage racks and other resources.

The program is expected to involve 65 kindergarten students a year. With a lifespan of 7 to 10 years for the equipment, up to 650 students will benefit from the initiative over the next decade.

The local effort is part of a larger initiative in which the HDR Foundation donated $380,000 to All Kids Bike for efforts at 40 schools across the United States during the 2023-2024 school year.

“Learning to ride a bike at such an early age is not only thrilling, but can help establish a foundation for a healthy lifestyle,” said Brad Martin, Colorado area manager of HDR. “As a 100 percent employee-owned company, HDR is dedicated to this cause. It’s close to home and to our hearts.”

Lisa Weyer, executive director of the Strider Education Foundation, the nonprofit behind All Kids Bike, said she was grateful to HDR for a total of more than $500,000 in funding over the past two school years.

“The ability to ride a bike not only fosters physical and mental well-being, but also instills confidence and enhances classroom focus,” Weyer said. “Teaching bike riding at the kindergarten level focuses on enhancing gross motor skills, balance and coordination. By introducing bike riding as an essential skill in public schools, we, in partnership with HDR, are equipping children with knowledge that extends far beyond the playground, providing them with a positive foundation for a lifelong skill.”