Press Release: May 7, 2012

NEWS RELEASE

CONTACTS:
Tracey Bradnan, 440-781-7690 or tracey@centurycycles.com
Karen Derby-Lovell, 440-617-7307 or Karen.Derby-Lovell@bayschoolsohio.org
Dianna Foley, 440-356-6702 or foley.dianna@rrcs.org
Jeanne Hurt, 330-636-3112 or hurtj@mcsoh.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MAY 7, 2012

896 Students Biked to School Today in Bay Village, Medina and
Rocky River for the Kick-Off of Bike To School Challenge

ROCKY RIVER, Ohio – Despite gray skies and a stormy forecast, 896 students biked to school this morning for the kick-off of Bike to School Challenge, a three-week program in Bay Village, Medina and Rocky River that encourages students to bike to school to help the environment, improve their health and be more physically active, beat high gas prices, win prizes and have fun.
 
In Cuyahoga county, Bay Middle School counted 424 bikes (52% of the school), Bay High School counted 127 bikes (16% of the school) and Rocky River Middle School counted 203 bikes (33% of the school).
 
In Medina, Root Middle School counted 97 bicycles (12% of the school) and Claggett Middle School counted 45 bicycles (5% of the school). This is the first year for Bike to School Challenge at the Medina schools, both of which recorded fewer than 2% of their students bicycling before the program’s inception.
 
“It is an awe-inspiring sight to see hundreds of bicycles parked in front of these schools. It sends a powerful message about the huge impact youth can have on the community with the simple act of riding a bike,” said Scott Cowan, owner of Century Cycles bicycle stores in Rocky River and Medina, which organizes and sponsors the challenge for the schools. “Everyone involved with the program is just thrilled with the response on the first day and is excited for the coming weeks.”
 
For regular updates and more information about Bike To School Challenge on May 7-25, 2012, visit www.centurycycles.com/to/BTS or follow it at www.facebook.com/BikeToSchoolChallenge.

Students at Bike to School Challenge schools carry a “Ride Card” that is stamped each day they ride a bike to school. When they accumulate four bicycle rides to school, students receive a free t-shirt from main Bike To School Challenge sponsor and organizer Century Cycles bicycle store. The more they bike, the more they can win – every Ride Card they fill up earns them more entries into a grand prize raffle. Safety is also rewarded: They earn twice as many entries if they wear a bicycle helmet.
 
There are also daily incentives to bike to school. Subway stores in Rocky River, Medina and Bay Village are offering a BOGO Footlong to each student who biked today for Day 1. Honey Hut Ice Cream is throwing after-school ice cream parties for those students who bicycle on May 11 (Rocky River Middle School), May 17 (Bay High School) and May 18 (Bay Middle School); and Smuckers has provided an after-school snack for bicyclists to Medina middle schools on May 22.
 
The program concludes with assemblies at each school, to show the students the environmental impact of their efforts, receive congratulations from sponsors and dignitaries, and draw the grand prize winners’ names. The grand prizes include:

• Two bicycles per school from Raleigh Bicycles;
   
• Two $1,000 scholarships for Bay High School seniors from Raleigh Bicycles;
   
• Bicycling accessories and gift cards from Century Cycles;
   
• Gift cards and prize packages from Subway, Honey Hut, Cleveland Cavaliers, local rec centers, and more;
   
• There is a special grand prize drawing for a Cedar Point gift card for the students at each school who biked every day of Bike to School Challenge.

The schools can also win a grand prize from Bike To School Challenge. Raleigh Bicycles has offered a $500 award for bicycling or physical education improvements at each school if it exceeds their bicycling benchmarks from 2011 (or pre-Bike To School levels).

National bicycle manufacturer Raleigh Bicycles has joined Century Cycles as the main corporate sponsors of Bike To School Challenge. At Bay schools, the program is also sponsored by Subway, Honey Hut, the Bay Village Kiwanis, Bay Schools Parent Teacher Student Association, Project Earth Environmental Club and the Bay Skate and Bike Park Foundation. In Rocky River schools, Subway, Honey Hut and the Rocky River PTA are also sponsors. In Medina, Subway and Medina Schools are also sponsors.

Inspired by a student car boycott to protest high gas prices in 2007, Century Cycles owner Scott Cowan approached his alma mater Bay High School about what he could to encourage more bicycling to school. Bike To School Challenge was born and was enthusiastically embraced by the students and faculty. Participation in 2008 exceeded organizers’ expectations. In 2009, the program was expanded to include Bay Middle School. It expanded to Rocky River Middle School in 2011 and to the Medina middle schools this year. In 2010, Bike To School Challenge won the city’s Project of the Year Award from the Bay Village Community Council.