High school students earn free bikes, learn life lessons through 10-week course
It's an extracurricular class where students learn how a bike works and how to fix it when something goes wrong.
Two Wheel View's 10-week Earn-A-Bike program has operated in Calgary since 2006.
"Lots of people can remember the first bike that they've ever had and the memories and the freedom that gave them," said Laura Istead, the program’s executive director.
"In our program, which we do all over the city, it's a first bike for a lot of young people and that's really freeing and allows them to ride to the places that they want to go and sometimes ride away from the things they need to get away from, too."
Istead says about 90 kids will graduate the program before Christmas.
The program graduates more than 250 kids annually.
Istead says participating schools are seeing higher attendance levels.
"We know that youth are getting more days at school, we know that youth are getting more physical recreation, we know that they have the ability to get to jobs," Istead said.
"We know that they have the ability to explore the city and are gaining lots of things like confidence, employment skills, lots of other kinds of things that you can't even measure."
As the program name implies, the students receive a refurbished bicycle, helmet and basic tools to maintain their new ride.
Vann Dueck is a 15-year-old Grade 10 student at Crescent Heights High School who says the bike he earns will be used to commute to school, and explore the city.
"I love biking and this is my first year in the school, so I thought it'd be a good way to get to know people and it has been," he said.
"I know a lot about working on bikes already but I've still learned more in this program."
Devin Whidden has a bike at home but it's too small for him now.
He didn't know much about fixing bikes when he started the program in September and says during the course he's learned about leadership and how to work in a group environment to solve problems.
He's glad he signed up.
"I feel like it's just like a basic skill that you need," Whidden said.
"I didn't really know anything about bikes or how they worked. I kind of just gave it to my dad and hoped he'd make it better."
In addition to a new bike, the graduates will also receive Lori Beattie's new book, Calgary's Best Bike Rides.
She's a fan of Two Wheel View and the way it empowers young people to explore their surroundings.
"I thought this is a great organization to partner with to give a bunch of books so that these kids can have a starting point," Beattie said.
"Once they earn their bikes, then they have this book to reference and some curated routes and some ice cream stops (to) get them excited because that's the way I approached my books is to get people excited about being self-propelled in the city and I'm all about connecting communities."
Jenna Seagrove is a Crescent Heights High School outdoor pursuit teacher and says she sees a mix of students taking the course – some who ride bikes but have never maintained them and others who have never ridden a bicycle.
"So I've heard from administration that outdoor pursuits is the course that gets the students in the door," she said.
"It's the one they want to come to and then since they're here, they go to their other courses. I think socializing with their peers at school, they really meet a lot of people in the class they become friends with and that all contributes to overall learning."
Learn more about Two Wheel View online, at twowheelview.org.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Russia says it thwarted attack in Donetsk; unclear if this was start of Ukrainian counteroffensive
Russia says it thwarted a large Ukrainian attack in the eastern province of Donetsk, though it's unclear if this was the start of a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Macron announces France is sending 100 firefighters to Quebec
France will be sending firefighters to aid Quebec as the province continues to battle massive forest fires, French President Emmanuel Macron announced.
Increase in mosquitoes 'a trend' across Canada this year. Here's why
Mosquitoes have always been pesky, but this spring it seems the bloodsuckers are thirstier than ever, a trend one expert says is increasing.
Survey shows employees aren’t disconnecting from work on vacation
Although remote work has cleared the way for workplace flexibility, allowing employees to work in various locations (and climates), a new study suggests it’s taking a serious toll on work-life balance.
Nova Scotians’ personal information stolen in global security breach: province
The Nova Scotia government says it is investigating the theft of personal information stolen through a global privacy breach to a third-party file transfer system the province was using.
Adult victim in Que. fishing incident that killed 4 children identified
Quebec provincial police (SQ) have identified the adult victim of a fishing incident that claimed five lives over the weekend, most of them children. Keven Girard, 37, was among a group of 11 people swept up by the tide late Friday night while fishing along the shore in Portneuf-sur-Mer, a village about 550 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
Uncertainty remains for Halifax-area evacuees as wildfire 100 per cent contained
A wildfire that tore through homes and businesses in the Halifax area is 100 per cent contained, but a historic fire in southwestern Nova Scotia remains out of control.
Canada sticking with 2050 net zero targets, but progress may come faster than expected, minister says
Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says the federal government is not ruling out finding ways to achieve net zero sooner than the existing 2050 goal, but would not say whether there would be a definitive commitment to move up the target.
Apple is expected to unveil a sleek, pricey headset. Is it the device VR has been looking for?
Apple appears poised to unveil a long-rumoured headset that will place its users between the virtual and real world, while also testing the technology trendsetter's ability to popularize new-fangled devices after others failed to capture the public's imagination.