Fifth grade students at G Ross Elementary School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania took on the challenge of creating bike paths in their city through the Design for Change contest. They felt that childhood obesity was a problem and that kids needed safe places to exercise by biking. Their plan was to write a letter and start a petition to support bike paths being included in a new urban parkway project. They organized a Bike Rodeo community event to raise awareness of bike safety and their goal of creating bike paths. They worked with various local organizations and officials to plan and promote the event to help more kids safely bike in their community.

1. Creating Bike Paths in
Lancaster, PA
Design for Change
Kids on the Move
G Ross Elementary School
November, 2010

2. “One act of real usefulness,
is worth all the abstract
sentiment in the world.”
- Ann Radcliffe
Design For Change Contest USA

3. The Challenge
Simple 4 Step Process

4. Challenge Accepted!
Fifth Graders at G Ross Elementary School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

5. Step 1: Feel
Why Bike Paths?
• Childhood obesity is a problem.
– Fifth graders felt Michelle Obama’s initiative
needed support.
– Students agreed kids need more exercise.

6. Step 1: Feel
Why Bike Paths?
• While activity can take many forms, most city
kids love to bike ride – a great way to
exercise!
– The problem: No safe place to ride.

7. Step 1: Feel
Problem:
• Busy streets allow no
room for kids to
negotiate riding
safely.
• Most kids ride in
alleys and sidewalks.

8. Step 1: Feel
W

9. Step 2: Imagine
Question:
What would it be like
for kids to be able to
ride their bicycles
safely in the city of
Lancaster?
Brainstorming our project ideas

10. Step 2: Imagine

11. Step 2: Imagine
Putting our ideas together was a lot of fun!!

12. Step 2: Imagine
• We met with city officials and leaders!
Students with Students with
Rick Gray, James Street Improvement District
Lancaster City Mayor Program Director
Ms. Nauman

13. Step 2: Imagine
We talked with Mayor Gray
about:
• green space;
• designating streets for bike
riding.
And, we suggested a
schedule for bikes just like
there is for street cleaning.

14. Step 2: Imagine
• Ms. Nauman showed us
plans for an urban parkway
that nearby Franklin and
Marshall College is creating
in our neighborhood.
• They hope to connect the
existing three-mile-long
Farmingdale Trail with the
new Brickyard site to create
a labyrinth of trails for hiking
and biking.

15. Step 2: Imagine
• We discussed our goals:
– To promote bike safety in our community.
– To support – and encourage others to support –
creating bike paths in the new urban parkway.
– To show kids where they can ride for fun.
– To share with parents how important exercise is
for kids and how much fun we have riding our
bikes in the city.

16. Step 2: Imagine
We had ideas…

17. Step 2: Imagine
…and more ideas! (We had a lot of ideas!)
…

18. Step 3: Do
…but what could we DO?
• We decided:
• To write a letter and to start a petition to support
creating bike paths in the new urban parkway.
• To sponsor a community event at our school to raise
awareness of our cause, with help from the:
• Local police department
• James Street Improvement District (JSID) bike patrol
• Cycle Smart Kid’s Program
• Gretna Bike Shop

19. Step 3: Do
• We wrote a
letter to
Mr. Keith Orris,
vice president at
F&M, to show
our support.

20. Step 3: Do
• We created a petition for Ross students to
sign.

21. Step 3: Do
• We met with Mike, manager of the Gretna
bike shop – one block from our school…

22. Step 3: Do
…he was excited to help us out!

23. Step 3: Do
• But, we needed to reach more people…

24. Step 3: Do
• Our principal, Mrs. Hopkins, agreed.
• So, we worked with the local Department of
Transportation to plan an event...

25. Step 3: Do
…A Bike Rodeo!
• Who: Lancaster City Community
• What: A Bike Rodeo and Safety Program
• When: May 2011
• Where: G Ross Elementary School
Playground and Parking Lot

26. Step 4: Share
There’s no stopping us now!
Our plan is in place! We did it!
“What a cool idea!”
– Officer Ted Makauskas
“We will be there to share Bike Safety.”
–Trooper Thomas, Our State Police Community Rep.

27. Step 4: Share
…And, we aren’t finished yet!
• By the time our event takes place we will
have touched our community of:
55,129 people!

28. Challenge Conquered!
We really can change our world!

29. Thank you for the opportunity
to share our story!

30. • Armoni Stewart, Richard Scarborough,
Gordon Snyder, Danielle Figueroa, and
Corey Hauck.