Ames Students Learn Bike Mechanics

Too many bikes go unused because they are in need of a basic repair. Ames Middle School students are rolling up their sleeves and using their new knowledge in bike mechanics.  “My dad has a bike, and he kept pumping it (the tires), and I told him that it might be the inner tube that is broken,” said student Beatriz Arzate. “We removed the tire, and realized the tube had a hole in it.”
    Beatriz is one of over 500 students who signed up to take a 4 week class, which meets for 40 minutes during each the school day. Those who successfully complete the class earn a certificate. The program is a partnership with West-Town Bikes, funded by Elev8. Full-time instructor Tony Hughes shares how the class has helped one student set a goal. “A student well versed in bicycle mechanics, who excelled in class, realized that his skills were profitable in the outside world and said “I’m going to open my own bicycle shop.’”  Tony has been impressed by how enthusiastically both LSNA and the Ames faculty are supporting a bicycle program in the school.
    West Town Bikes, founded in 2005, now offers 18 programs serving 600 youth throughout the city. Founder and Executive Director Alex Wilson is calling the Ames program a flagship program. “It is one of the few bike programs in North America that teaches these skills during the school day. Like our other successful youth bike programs, it emphasizes social, environmental and health benefits. We are exposing hundreds of young people to the joys and benefits of bicycling. Riding a bike connects a person to his or her community, it's on a human scale. It is approachable and friendly.”
    This class has gotten the attention of Mayor Daley. On February 9th representatives from the mayor’s office and Chicago Public Schools observed the class and were impressed.

Students in the bike mechanics program at Ames learn how easy it is to fix a flat by patching a hole in an inner-tube.