Press Release: May 27, 2011 (Bike To School Summary)

2011 BIKE TO SCHOOL CHALLENGE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Photos available upon request via email.

Media Contacts:
Tracey Bradnan, Century Cycles
Phone: 440-781-7690
Email: tracey@centurycycles.com

Dianna Foley, Rocky River City School District
Phone: 440-356-6702
Email: foley.dianna@rrcs.org

Karen Derby-Lovell, Bay Village Schools
Phone: 440-617-7307
Email: Karen.Derby-Lovell@bayschoolsohio.org

Northeast Ohio Students Bicycled 32,034 Miles During Bike to School Challenge May 9-27

ROCKY RIVER, Ohio (May 27, 2011) - Students at Bay Middle School, Bay High School and Rocky River Middle School didn't let an unusually rainy May dampen their commitment to bicycling during Bike to School Challenge sponsored by Century Cycles, Raleigh Bicycles and Chipotle, which concluded today with school-wide assemblies to celebrate the program's success.

Students at the three Northeast Ohio schools bicycled a total of 32,034 miles to school from May 9 through May 27 - enough miles to circle the globe and then some - which saved the environment 35,237 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. It also saved Mom and Dad $5,795.92 in gasoline expenditures.

At Rocky River Middle School, the three-week initiative nearly quadrupled the average number of bicyclists to school per day, from 49 to 193. At Bay Middle School, 430 students (53%) biked to school on average each day; 16% of the school - 130 students - bicycled all 15 days of the challenge despite rainy, chilly weather on many of those days. The highest overall ride day was Wednesday, May 11, on which a total of 1,070 students biked to all three schools. Bay schools marked its fourth Bike to School Challenge by hitting a major milestone - its students have now bicycled a total of 102,803 miles since the program began in 2008.

"I think this is the best program of its kind in America," said Chris Speyer, vice president of Raleigh Bicycles, a Seattle-based bicycle manufacturer that is a Bike to School Challenge sponsor. Speyer also serves as the president of the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association.

Bike to School Challenge's grand prizes were two Raleigh bicycles per school donated by Century Cycles and Raleigh Bicycles. The bicycles were won by 12^th grader Matt Brant and 9^th grader Elizabeth Veres at Bay High School; 5^th grader Cara Berlan and 6^th grader Owen MacMillan at Bay Middle School (both of whom biked every day of BTS Challenge); and by 8^th grader Sam Stankivicz and 6th grader Brandon Lewis at Rocky River Middle School.

The bicycles were presented to the winners by Speyer, who announced that Raleigh will once again sponsor Bike to School Challenge in 2012. In Bay Village, Speyer also made a special presentation to Sean McAndrews, principal of Bay Middle School, and Jason Martin, assistant principal of Bay High School, in honor and recognition of their commitment to youth bicycling.

Both Bay Village Mayor Deborah Sutherland and Rocky River Mayor Pamela Bobst attended their respective assemblies, praising the students for their bicycling accomplishments and telling them how much they've inspired their communities. Mayor Bobst said that the Old Detroit Streetscape project will have new bike racks, and she encouraged the students to bicycle all summer to their destinations. Mayor Sutherland vowed to bike and walk more herself this summer, saying she sees far more citizens riding bicycles in Bay Village since the program began.

At the closing ceremonies, over 50 prizes donated by program sponsors were awarded to students in a raffle. Students earned raffle tickets for every four bike-rides to school that were completed (double tickets if they wore a bike helmet for each ride). Besides the bicycles, prizes included bicycling accessories from Century Cycles bike store in Rocky River, $100 gift certificate for Honey Hut Ice Cream, a burrito party for 25 at Chipotle, and a Bay Lanes party for 10.

In Bay Village:

• Students at Bay High and Middle Schools bicycled a combined total of 22,751 miles, saved 25,026 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, and saved $4,116 on gasoline.
• This is the fourth year for Bike to School Challenge in Bay Village. In all four years, Bay students have bicycled a total of 102,803 miles to school and saved 113,083 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.
• Bay school administrators also declared May 27 to be 1000 Bikes in Bay Day, to encourage the entire community to embrace bicycling and give the students one last boost. However, due to an unusually cold and rainy day, only a total of 741 bikes were counted at BHS, BMS, Westerly, the Board of Education office, and the maintenance garage, and their goal was not reached.

At Bay Middle School:

• 430: Average number of students who biked to school per day, or 53% of the BMS student population.
• 575: Number of students who biked on the highest ride day, on May 11, when 70% of the students biked to school.
• 18,046: Total miles biked by BMS students during BTS. The average round-trip to BMS is 2.78 miles.
• 130: Number of BMS students who biked all 15 school days of the challenge, or 16% of the BMS student population.

At Bay High School:

• 126: Average number of BHS students who biked to school per day, or 15% of the BHS student population.
• 199: Number of students who biked on the highest ride day, May 11, when 25% of BHS students biked to school.
• 4,705: Total miles biked by BHS students during BTS. The average round-trip to BMS is 2.48 miles.

At Rocky River Middle School (which launched its first Bike to School Challenge this year):

• 193: Average number of RRMS students who biked to school per day - or 31% of the school, which is quadruple the RRMS average of 49 bicyclists per day.
• 311: Number of students who biked on the highest ride day, May 13, or 50% of the school.
• 9,283: Total miles biked by RRMS students during BTS. The average round-trip to RRMS is 3.2 miles.
• RRMS students also saved 10,211 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions and $1,679.50 on gasoline.

Program statistics are estimates calculated using daily bike counts and the results of student surveys. Gas savings is estimated based upon a vehicle that gets 21.5 miles per gallon and an average gasoline cost of $3.89 per gallon. Bike to School Challenge averages are in stark contrast to national averages: According to the Safe Routes to School Partnership, only about 15% of U.S. children bike or walk to school today, versus approximately 50% in 1969.

Bike to School Challenge sponsored by Century Cycles, Raleigh Bicycles and Chipotle is a three-week program from May 9 to May 27 in which students at the three Northeast Ohio schools commit to ride their bicycles to school to help the environment, improve their health and beat high gas prices - plus win great prizes and have fun. National bicycle manufacturer Raleigh Bicycles has joined Century Cycles, Chipotle, Honey Hut, and Bay Lanes as corporate sponsors of Bike to School Challenge. In Bay Village, the Bay Village Kiwanis, Bay Schools Parent Teacher Student Association, Project Earth Environmental Club and the Bay Skate and Bike Park Foundation are also sponsors. In Rocky River, Fuel Up to Play 60 and the Rocky River PTA are also sponsors.

For regular updates about Bike to School Challenge, visit www.centurycycles.com/to/bts.

 

The schools in Bay Village, Ohio, are award-winning and consistently earn the state’s highest ratings for student achievement. Newsweek ranked Bay High School in the top 5% of high schools in the nation and it was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2010 by the U.S. Department of Education. www.bayvillageschools.com

With an enrollment of just over 2,700 in grades K-12, the Rocky River School District provides students with the benefits of a small-school setting and all the resources of a larger school district. Long known for its tradition of academic quality and support of physical activity, Rocky River received an “Excellent with Distinction” rating on the latest State Report Card showing that Rocky River students have continued to excel academically. Last year nearly 90 percent of River students continued on to college or universities across the country. The Rocky River Schools were ranked 5th in the prestigious Top Ten List of Cleveland Area Schools in the June, 2010 issue of Cleveland Magazine. www.rrcs.org

Century Cycles is an award-winning, locally-owned chain of independent bicycle stores in Medina, Peninsula, and Rocky River, providing all types of bicycles and friendly, expert service to northeast Ohio bicyclists and their families. Founded in 1992, Century Cycles is an authorized dealer of Raleigh, Giant, Electra, Surly and Haro bicycles, as well as Santana tandems. The Peninsula store also rents bicycles year-round for riding on the Towpath Trail in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

For nine consecutive years, Century Cycles has been voted a Top 100 Bike Retailer in the United States by Bicycle Retailer & Industry News magazine, a trade publication that honors the top 2% of the nation’s independent bike stores. In 2010, Century Cycles was voted “Cleveland’s Best Bike Shop” by the readers of Cleveland Magazine. www.centurycycles.com