On Thursday afternoon (October 24), in Fleming Gym at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, 1,800 third grade students in Guilford County Schools came to UNCG. The event seemed like a pep rally. UNCG cheerleaders were on site and student leaders from the Middle College at UNCG were on the sidelines building excitement in the crowd. Spiro the Spartan was also working the crowd. The third graders were at the event knowing 5 of the students would be selected to get bikes for having written a winning essay. However, at the end, Middle College at UNCG students rode in about 100 bikes, students learned that all 1,800 of them would get a brand new bicycle and the students cheered jubilantly. Many civic organizations contributed to the purchasing of the bicycles. The program is part of the BIKES for KIDS hat started in California in 2002.
In addition to the great thrill of getting a bicycle, for some students, Thursday's outing was their first on a college campus, in a college gym. Who knows, that may be the spark that inspires some students to pursue higher education when they get older. As for the high students who helped, they got to share in this special event, knowing they were part of sparking joy in the elementary school students. Truly, it was a "feel good" afternoon. The above photo features community members and Guilford County School staff, including Superintendent Oakley (the person with long dark hair behind the students with winning essays, who are just behind the bicycle).
,Happy Monday!
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