A Saranac Lake-based organization continues to work with school districts across Franklin County to bring more inclusive bike programming to physical education programs.

Over the last eight years, The Heart Network’s Creating Healthy Schools & Communities (CHSC) program in Franklin County, funded by the New York State Department of Health, has been working with the Malone Central School District (Malone CSD) to increase youth access to physical activity opportunities in school and community settings. Most recently, this work has focused on bringing the nationally renowned All Kids Bike program to the district, providing all kids — regardless of financial background or physical mobility — with the chance to bike.

“Walking and biking are among the most basic forms of lifelong physical activities,” said Arriana Patraw, project coordinator for The Heart Network’s CHSC program. “In Franklin County, we’ve been working with schools and communities for over two decades to promote programs that encourage walking and biking for all ages, but especially for kids, as bike riding is among the most critical developmental milestones for children — an essential life skill that provides benefits for physical and mental health, exercise and transportation. Learning this skill at an early age — in the case of All Kids Bike, beginning in kindergarten — aids in the development of gross motor skills, judgment and confidence.”

“We all remember the freedom and joy biking brought to us in our youth, and it’s important that all kids have the opportunity to learn and enjoy this life-long activity,” said Joey Santamoor, assistant principal and director of physical education at Malone CSD. “Learning to ride a bike improves balance and is a great way for kids to stay active. It also builds confidence and awareness.”

Getting as many kids on bikes as possible isn’t a simple process. Bikes — and associated gear like helmets and in some cases padding — are expensive, creating a barrier for lower income families who might not be able to afford it. Additionally, teaching kids to ride safely and confidently is critical, and working families or single parent families might not have the time or capacity to teach their children. And for kids with mobility issues or physical disabilities, standard bikes don’t meet their needs.

All Kids Bike has made a profound impact at Malone CSD, where the national curriculum was added to the school’s physical education program at the start of the 2023-2024 school year.

To implement All Kids Bike in Malone, PE teachers were trained and certified in bicycle safety and instruction. Simultaneously, the district worked with the program to purchase 24 bikes and helmets for grades 2-11; additional support from The Heart Network’s CHSC program and the Cloudsplitter Foundation allowed the district to expand its fleet of bicycles even further.

The work to implement All Kids Bike programming in Malone has moved beyond standard bicycles. Later in the fall of 2023, with additional CHSC support, Malone CSD purchased two adaptive bicycles and instituted All Kids Bike programming specifically tailored for adaptive students — children with specific physical, mental, emotional and/or sensory impairments. This aspect of the programming helps students build confidence in themselves, feel comfortable on adaptive equipment and help them integrate into PE classes with the rest of the student population, fostering a more inclusive environment.

“To create physical education programming that lets adaptive students ride with their peers is powerful: it breaks down barriers and shows that education and physical activity comes in many forms,” Patraw said.

The Heart Network’s CHSC program will continue to work with Malone CSD to expand All Kids Bike programming to the entire district; CHSC has also worked elsewhere in Franklin County to bring All Kids Bike to Salmon River and Chateaugay central school districts.

In 2024, The Heart Network will turn its focus to Tupper Lake and St. Regis Falls central school districts, with a goal to work with educators to train them in All Kids Bike programming and purchase a fleet of bikes and helmets for students in their districts, too. Additionally, The Heart Network will continue to work with funding partners, including the Cloudsplitter Foundation and other public and private organizations, to expand the funding available for programs that bring inclusive physical activity to schools across Franklin County.

To learn more about the national All Kids Bike program, visit allkidsbike.org. For more information about the CHSC program at The Heart Network, visit heartnetwork.org or contact Arriana Patraw at apatraw@heartnetwork.org.