Rodeos
YBike’s bicycle safety rodeos are an introduction to bicycling. YBike rodeos teach elementary school children the importance of seeing, being seen, and remaining in control at all times when riding a bike. This is achieved through a series of bike handling drills and the simulation of traffic situations. Rodeos are a fun, hands-on way for kids to learn basic bike safety, handling, and communication skills, with more experienced riders also getting an introduction to traffic safety and the navigation of basic traffic situations such as intersections.
YBike’s bike rodeo program is offered to 4th- and 5th-grade students in San Francisco elementary schools. In the spring of 2008, we conducted our first bicycle safety rodeo at Malcolm X Elementary School, in Hunter’s Point. Since then, we have served over 3 dozen schools and conducted over 60 rodeo sessions, reaching more than 3,000 elementary school students – more than 800 of whom had the chance to ride a bicycle for the very first time.
--Happy riders at Stevenson Elementary School in Spring, 2009.
In 2010-11, YBike is continuing our successful rodeo program in partnership with Safe Routes to School-San Francisco, which has allowed the program to expand to include a classroom unit on traffic safety concepts and helmet safety. All 4th-grade students at all 15 elementary schools selected for Safe Routes to Schools-San Francisco will have the chance to experience a YBike rodeo.
We believe all elementary school students and schools should be offered bicycle and traffic safety education as part of their regular curriculum. Offering every 4th-grade student a bicycle rodeo would be inexpensive and easily implemented. We look forward to working with the San Francisco Unified School District, our partners in Safe Routes to School-SF, and the City of San Francisco to make this a reality in the years to come.
YBike Rodeos in 2009-10 served 1,265 students at 14 schools:
May 25th: Bryant Elementary School (Safe Routes to School) - 71 4th graders
May 20th: GW Carver Elementary School (Safe Routes to School) - 51 4th graders
May 18th & 19th: Sherman Elementary School - 145 4th and 5th graders
May 15th: Starr King Elementary School - 50 youth at Potrero Hill Health Festival
May 14th: Sunnyside Elementary School (Safe Routes to School) - 53 4th graders
May 10th: Lafayette Elementary School - 110 4th and 5th graders
May 8th: Fairmount Elementary School - 60 students of all grades, at Fairmount's spring festival
April 9th: E.R. Taylor Elementary School - 60 4th and 5th graders, including 18 new learners.
March 18th: Longfellow Elementary School (Safe Routes to School) - 102 4th graders
March 9th: Sunset Elementary School (Safe Routes to School) - 90 4th graders
March 2nd & 3rd: Stevenson Elementary School - 137 4th and 5th graders
January 27th & 28th: Cleveland Elementary School - 88 4th and 5th-graders, including 24 new learners.
October 24: Monroe Elementary School - 40 students of all ages, including 5 new learners.
YBike Rodeos in 2008-09 served 1,164 students at 14 schools:
May 15: Peabody Elementary School - 75 4th and 5th- graders
May 12-13: Rosa Parks Elementary School - 130 4th and 5th-graders
May 8: Malcolm X Elementary School - 25 4th and 5th-graders
April 30-May 1: Sherman Elementary School - 121 4th & 5th-graders
April 27: SF Community Alternative School - 70 4th and 5th-graders
April 19: Alvarado Elementary School - 60 students of all ages
March 27: Claire Lilienthal Alternative School - 75 students of all ages
March 20-21: Stevenson Elementary School - 160 4th and 5th-graders
March 18: Sunnyside Elementary School - 75 4th and 5th-graders
March 13: Marshall Elementary School - 77 4th and 5th-graders
February 10: Hillcrest Elementary School - 30 4th and 5th-graders
January 25: Miraloma Elementary School - 36 students of all ages
November 17 & December 2: Longfellow Elementary School - 180 4th and 5th-graders
October 18: Monroe Elementary School - 50 students of all ages
YBike Rodeos in 2007-08 served 305 students at 7 schools:
June 7: Peabody Elementary School - 20 students of all ages
May 23: FS Key Elementary School - 75 4th and 5th-graders
May 20: Sunnyside Elementary School - 76 4th and 5th-graders
May 2: Stevenson Elementary School - 40 4th and 5th-graders
April 30: Ulloa Elementary School - 40 4th and 5th-graders
April 11: John Muir Elementary School - 24 4th and 5th-graders
March 19: Malcolm X Elementary School - 30 4th and 5th-graders