Just in time for summer cruising, 15 Ada Elementary third and fourth graders received brand-new bicycles, thanks to a collaborative after-school STEM program sponsored by Ohio Northern University.
In addition to new wheels, helmets, and accessories, the students also gained a foundational understanding of engineering principles, bike maintenance, and biking safety.
“Essentially, we want them thinking like an engineer,” said Dr. Todd France, associate professor of engineering education. “We connected the mechanics of the bike to core principles in science, technology, and math.”
The initiative was part of ONU’s Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS), a program that allows ONU engineering students to earn credit for high-impact community work. Funded in part by the Ohio Space Grant Consortium, the bike program was developed by Dr. France and four ONU engineering students.
Aiden Kastor, a mechanical engineering senior and member of the Ohio Air National Guard, joined the project to give back. “I’ve enjoyed expanding my own knowledge of bicycles,” he says, “and working with the kids has been so much fun.”
Over the course of four interactive 90-minute classes, the ONU mentors taught the elementary students how to change tires, adjust handlebars and seats, and operate gears. They imparted STEM lessons in linear distance and thermodynamics. Additionally, they shared safety lessons, even bringing in a sergeant from the Hardin County Sheriff’s Department to teach rules of the road.
“You could see the increase in energy and excitement each week as the students got closer to getting their new bikes,” laughed Kastor, who noted he has a newfound appreciation for educators. “Seeing the students in my group answer impromptu questions gave me a sense of pride and accomplishment.”
The program culminated in each student receiving a Guardian bike, a new helmet courtesy of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and a full-suite of accessories—including locks, bells, lights, bottle cages, and a toolkit for future maintenance with support from bike part manufacturer Lezyne and local bike shop Bike Crazy (Bluffton).
