Just in time for summer cruising, 15 Ada Elementary third and fourth graders received brand-new bicycles, thanks to a collaborative after-school STEM program sponsored by Ohio Northern University.
In addition to new wheels, helmets, and accessories, the students also gained a foundational understanding of engineering principles, bike maintenance, and biking safety.
鈥淓ssentially, we want them thinking like an engineer,鈥 said Dr. Todd France, associate professor of engineering education. 鈥淲e connected the mechanics of the bike to core principles in science, technology, and math.鈥
The initiative was part of 青青草视频鈥檚 Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS), a program that allows 青青草视频 engineering students to earn credit for high-impact community work. Funded in part by the Ohio Space Grant Consortium, the bike program was developed by Dr. France and four 青青草视频 engineering students.
Aiden Kastor, a mechanical engineering senior and member of the Ohio Air National Guard, joined the project to give back. 鈥淚鈥檝e enjoyed expanding my own knowledge of bicycles,鈥 he says, 鈥渁nd working with the kids has been so much fun.鈥
Over the course of four interactive 90-minute classes, the 青青草视频 mentors taught the elementary students how to change tires, adjust handlebars and seats, and operate gears. They imparted STEM lessons in linear distance and thermodynamics. Additionally, they shared safety lessons, even bringing in a sergeant from the Hardin County Sheriff鈥檚 Department to teach rules of the road.
鈥淵ou could see the increase in energy and excitement each week as the students got closer to getting their new bikes,鈥 laughed Kastor, who noted he has a newfound appreciation for educators. 鈥淪eeing the students in my group answer impromptu questions gave me a sense of pride and accomplishment.鈥
The program culminated in each student receiving a Guardian bike, a new helmet courtesy of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and a full-suite of accessories鈥攊ncluding locks, bells, lights, bottle cages, and a toolkit for future maintenance with support from bike part manufacturer Lezyne and local bike shop Bike Crazy (Bluffton).
