SCCCC Youth Education Team
What is the Youth Education Team?
YET is a group of SCCCC members who do volunteer bicycle education in local schools. The group of volunteers works closely with Bike Smart! Youth Bicycle Safety Program to run bicycle safety rodeos (obstacle courses) at local schools, as well as education outreach booths at events. YET members are asked to commit to volunteer at at least four events per year and they are contacted as programs are scheduled.
In addition, YET volunteers serve as assistant ride leaders for local youth rides.
Violette Puretz teaching proper helmet adjustment at bike safety rodeo.
What is a school rodeo event like?
Club member and ex-club President, Richard Bedal, wrote a nice description
of what a Bike Smart! event is like.
See “From My Handlebars to Yours” on page two. Click
to read
When are the bicycle education events held?
Bike Smart! events are mostly conducted during the week, during school hours.
Occasionally, there are also weekend events.
Do YET volunteers need any special qualifications?
All that is required is for volunteers to be a bicycle enthusiast who enjoys
working with youth. You will be given the necessary instructions to assist
at the events.
How do I get involved in YET?
To get more information or to join YET, contact
Saskia Lucas
Bike Smart! Program Manager
831-426-5925 x129
saskia@ecoact.org
and provide
1) your full name
2) telephone number
3) email address
4) availability (i.e. days of the week you would be able to volunteer)
5) any special skills or bicycle safety interests you may have.
Grace Voss, Larry Puretz, Jeannine Peerless, Violette Puretz and Saskia Lucas with local fourth graders.
How did YET get started?
The YET came out of a SCCCC Board of Directors retreat in which members agreed
they wanted to do more to fulfill the education mission of the Club - specifically
related to youth - as stated in the Bylaws:
Section 2.01. The specific and primary goals of the SCCCC shall be the education
and instruction of the individual members and the general public in all facets
of bicycling.
Section 2.07. Public Lectures and Presentations: In the schools to educate school children as to safe handling of bicycles, and teach them the rules of the road and general vehicle safety.
Section 2.09. Programs: To facilitate appropriate introduction and inclusion of youth to all types of programs and activities that the SCCCC offers. Goals to include the positive participation of youth in community activities
YET member testimonials
As a retired teacher looking for community involvement, YET is a good fit for me...it's fun to help a dedicated bike safety professional (Saskia Lucas) teach kids proper hand signals as well as how to look over one's shoulder for traffic while riding in a straight line--not easy! Most of all it's rewarding to see elementary and junior high schoolers enjoy their bikes and practice life-saving skills at the same time...go Bike Smart! - Grace Voss
This is a great opportunity to instill safe bicycling skills in the next generation
of riders. It is a great deal of fun to work with children eager to learn. -
Bart Coddington (aka bikerbart)
It is so much fun to see the pleasure and delight of the kids when they get
to ride and practice on the course. They are so eager to do well. And to see
a child who does not know how to ride a bike get a chance to do it with a volunteer
helper is a wonderful feeling. I also enjoy the time to socialize with Club
biking friends during the breaks. - Jeannine Peerless
Larry showing a young rider how to ride in a straight line after checking over her shoulder for traffic.
YET recent activities
To learn about Bike Smart’s recent events, see the calendar page on the website, www.bikesmart.org