SUMMARY REPORT on MINI GRANT PROJECTS funded by
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

The Bicycle Alliance of Washington awarded 12 mini grants (one was unable to begin their project) to schools and affiliated organizations across most of Washington. As this report shows, the projects varied considerably in scope and participation. For some of the schools, safe routes to school projects and activities had been already occurring and these grants allowed for extending and/or starting new programs. For others, this was their first safe routes to school project. In both cases, the projects were very well received and most of the schools and community leaders expressed interest in continuing the programs next year. Many schools want to incorporate bike riding skills and lessons into their curriculum. They asked the Bicycle Alliance about future funding opportunities and anticipate researching and applying for funding to continue and expand existing programs and projects, and begin new ones. Many students discovered local bike paths they did not know existed. The most common lessons learned are that the students crave such programs, love to ride their bikes, and wonder why such opportunities aren't readily available on a regular basis.

Project Summaries

• M.L. King Elementary School (Seattle). Activities included a neighborhood clean up of debris and vegetation along sidewalks and street corners adjacent to the school. Neighbors have since been keeping vegetation trimmed and debris picked-up. An assembly was held with Willie Weir, noted writer and adventure cyclist traveler, as the speaker. The purpose of the assembly was to encourage kids to ride their bike as a way of exploring their neighborhood and having fun. Most of the school's 150 students attended and he successfully got the message across. The feedback from the students, staff, and parents was very positive. Bike riding skill classes were held in P.E. class each school day for two weeks, with 130 students participating. There is a lot of interest in incorporating it into the school curriculum. Approximately 30 students, along with staff and volunteers, conducted a walking audit adjacent to the school.
• Aki Kurose Middle School (Seattle). A health fair was held to provide materials about the benefits of biking and walking and Willie Weir spoke at an assembly. The next day was Walk to Aki Day, with over 140 students participating. The success of the event was due to the extensive advertising at the school and to the parents. In addition, students were surveyed to determine how they got to school. Parents that lived within 1 mile of the school were contacted to ask they walk to school with their child on Walk to Aki Day. A mailing to the approximately 400 families that receive school bus service included a walking map and safety information. Reflector tape and stop/slow hand paddles were purchased, and incentives were provided to students to participate in the walk to school event. Students that participated received treats at the end of the school day.
• Asa Mercer Middle School (Seattle). The school nurse wrote an article sent home with the students regarding the importance of using safe routes and appropriate drop off locations when transporting students to and from school. A social studies teacher wrote and taught a two-week curriculum to 60 eighth graders encouraging the reduction of car trips while increasing the use of car pools, mass transit, and biking and walking more. The curriculum was based on the City of Seattle's "Way to Go" Program. School volunteers collaborated with local businesses and other community organizations to write grant applications and get support from the Mayor in order to improve pedestrian and bicycling facilities in the vicinity of the school.
• Samish Long House Head Start, Samish Indian Nation (Anacortes). The project taught students and their parents bike safety as part of their existing personal safety training. It included proper helmet use, hand signaling, traffic rules, and watching for traffic. Safety literature and other materials were purchased and distributed to reinforce safety. Several bicycles, helmets, and elbow and knee pads were also purchased. Walking and biking groups were formed to practice safety rules, and a bike rodeo was held. The Anacortes Police and Health Commission helped promote and participated in the event. This program was very successful in that there was parental participation in the training and events. The grant leveraged additional funding from the Tribe's Economic Development Company and discounts from several local businesses.
• Quinault Indian Nation and Taholah K-12 School (Taholah). Numerous meetings were held among parents, teachers, tribal officials, community leaders and others to plan events and promote safe routes to school. Outreach programs were held and a Frequent Walker Club and Bike to School Day was held. Biking was incorporated into the community health fair. This was a very successful project. The Frequent Walker Program ran for 3 months with 71 children participating. One result was a bus driver complaining of so few students on her bus. Walk/Bike to School Day was combined with another event resulting in 91 children walking to school that day. There were several articles in the tribal paper and parent newsletters. The meetings and events were carried on the community service TV station, and several hundred flyers were sent home to parents. Staff and students designed, printed, and distributed materials. There is lots of interest in continuing these programs every year.
• Mount Baker Middle School (Auburn). Two assemblies were held about railroad safety, a significant issue near the school. Several days later, Willie Weir gave an assembly that encouraged kids to use their bicycles to get around. As part of this effort, safety, such as riding in traffic and wearing a helmet was also emphasized. Besides holding three Bike to School Fridays, over 60 people, more than half students, participated in a 12-mile bike ride in Auburn on a Saturday morning (Mt. Baker Pedal Power Ride). Teachers, staff, police officers, and Bicycle Alliance staff and volunteers also participated. Participants in the Bike Fridays and Saturday ride received incentives and their names were entered into raffles. Many kids asked if this could be a yearly event and the school is looking for funding to do that.
• Auburn School District. Due to the highly successful Mt. Baker Pedal Power Ride, many students at the elementary school adjacent to the trail expressed interest in learning bike riding skills. The school district purchased bicycles for the students to use while being taught the skills to ride safely.
• Moses Lake School District #1611. The grant paid for Willie Weir to speak to approximately 2,270 students at 5 elementary school assemblies in Moses Lake. He also spoke at assemblies in other schools.
• Longview Elementary and Peninsula Elementary Schools (Moses Lake). Each school received a grant. The projects addressed the dangerous walking and biking conditions along roads adjacent to the schools. Project committees were formed consisting of city and school officials and community leaders. Traffic using the roads was quantified, student travel modes were surveyed (a response rate of 500 between the two schools), and the community was educated about the safe routes to school concept. The committees worked closely with the community, planners, engineers, and law enforcement officials and identified options to improve safety. This was also successful in that it positioned the community to know what types of construction grants to pursue and rallied the community about safe routes to school in general. It also resulted in the county committing $25,000-$50,000 in construction money for safe trails to the schools.
• Mtn. Meadow Elementary (Buckley). This project focused on pedestrian and bicycle safety along routes to an elementary school that shares a campus with a middle and high school. The combined population of the three schools is over 2,000, of which 63% attend the high school. Many of them drive to school. School staff and volunteers conducted a media campaign about safe walking and biking to school. The local paper printed several articles, as did the school paper. In addition, there was an extensive distribution of flyers and a website. The community outreach component included attending and presenting at school board, city council, PTA, and community organization meetings. Willie Weir spoke at an assembly. The project culminated with a community effort resulting in construction of a safe walking path for students that was covered with donated gravel.

Table of Detailed Project Information