Kids Building Bikes Encourages Students to Dream Big
The Great STEM Bike Ride continued this summer with Nine13sports' Kids Building Bikes Camp. Nine13sports, a nonprofit organization based out of Indianapolis, teaches students about the power of a bicycle through two programs: Kids Riding Bikes and Kids Building Bikes.
On July 9th, Kids Building Bikes Camp kicked off in Versailles where students were taught about bicycle maintenance, rider safety skills, rules of the road, and the ingenuity/manufacturing aspect of a bicycle. Students became engineers as they pieced together and assembled a brand new bicycle. They were also introduced to STEM principles through a hands-on learning experience that built upon their problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking skills.
The camp took place over four consecutive Fridays in July, where students achieved various milestones over the camp sessions. Those milestones are broken down by weeks below:
During the first week of camp, students were taught the basics of the bike. This included learning about the proper names of various bicycle parts and what purpose those parts serve.
The second week of camp allowed students to get hands-on with a preassembled bike where they successfully removed the rear tire, adjusted the handlebars, and reassembled the brakes.
The third week became one of the most exciting days for campers as they unpacked their own bicycle from boxes. Students assembled the front wheel, seat, pedals, handlebars, and brakes.
On the fourth and final week, students made the final touches to their bikes before they took a bike ride around Versailles. The team of student engineers biked to Busching Covered Bridge near the Versailles State Park and later to Emily’s Brew for a delicious and refreshing ice cream treat.
"The camp was an amazing experience. These 8 kids got to spend their summer getting hands-on with a project and ended it with receiving a new bike, helmet, and lock," stated Grace Vanderbur, a volunteer for Kids Building Bikes Camp. Vanderbur further stated, “It's just such as great program to offer, and I hope to see more from Nine13sports!”
Genesis would like to extend a huge thank you to the Nine13sports instructors, Matty and Shawn, for not only giving the students the opportunity to build and keep their own bicycles but for also inspiring them to dream big! We would also like to express our greatest appreciation to the following sponsors: Global Atlantic Financial Group, Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, McDonald’s of Southeastern Indiana, Ripley County Court Services JDAI, Ripley County Community Foundation, Tyson Activity Center, and the United Way of Franklin County. Genesis: Pathways to Success hopes to hold his camp again during the summer of 2022.