POTTSVILLE, Pa. — After a trip out west, teachers from DHH Lengal Middle School in Pottsville got busy building mountain bikes.
This is all for a new part of a curriculum they will be introducing to students to encourage learning and growth in school.
DHH Middle School ELA teacher, Leah Zerbe says, "So, we know that when kids ride bikes they tend to concentrate better when they're in the classroom. They tend to have better mental health, and just tend to all around do better in school when they have the opportunity to bike during their school day."
Thanks to Outride, a non-profit organization focused on the benefits of cycling, DHH Lengal Middle School received 35 new specialized mountain bikes.
Through the ride for focus program. Teachers took a trip to California during the summer for specialized training on the bikes and curriculum that goes with them.
So we can meet with other school districts and trainers who have been doing the program for years and learn the best tricks from them, too."
Many teachers who are passionate about the benefits of cycling are volunteering their time for this new project.
People from the community are showing their passion for it as well. Ty Albright is volunteering his time through his mobile bike shop.
Albright local mobile bike shop owner Ty Albright says, "This is a great opportunity for some kids to find an activity that may be their favorite outdoor activity. Riding bikes is one of my passions. It's probably my favorite outdoor activity. If I'm not doing anything else, I'm on my bike."
Teachers plan to incorporate biking into the school day to increase performance in school.
"We want to get kids going right when they get into school. Kids who maybe struggle with focus or attention, things like that because we know that as they head into math and riding a bike before that can really help their mental health and their focus," Zerbe says.
8th grader Gavin Lutsky is excited he will be able to share his passion for biking with his friends at school.
"I'm very excited. I grew up on a bike. I grew up riding and racing dirt bikes, " Lutsky says.
Teachers are looking forward to trying out the new mountain bikes with students this school year.