🚲🙌💙 Enka Intermediate School wrapped up its annual bike safety unit with a hands-on learning event featuring student volunteers from Enka High School.
Enka Intermediate PE teachers led the three-day bike unit finale, which included obstacle courses, ramp practice, and games on the blacktop and school loop. High school civics literacy students, guided by teacher and local mountain bike coach Rebecca McCord, volunteered as part of a community service project aligned with North Carolina’s Portrait of a Graduate initiative.
“Civics literacy is about being a good citizen and serving your community,” McCord said. “This lets students give back to a place they came from. It’s kind of a full-circle moment for them.”
For many intermediate students, the event marked their first successful solo rides. High school volunteers encouraged, coached, and modeled perseverance and kindness. Some even helped students conquer their fear of riding for the first time.
“It felt great just to see a kid finally break through and ride a bike and overcome that fear,” said Thomas, a 10th grader. “I just kept motivating him and helping where he struggled until he did it.”
“I was doing limbo with the kids where we lowered a pool noodle and they had to duck under it on their bikes,” said Alyssa, a 10th grader. “It’s a really good thing to get kids outside and engaging in something new. I had a lot of fun.”