EPISD middle school students set to receive bikes to use during P.E. classes

EL PASO, Texas -- Riding your bike at biking and hiking trails across El Paso is a great past time and a fun way to stay active. It's a skill EPISD is hoping to help its students gain through new grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife.

EPISD was award $60,000 dollars to be able to purchase bikes for middle school students. It will go towards expanding its Bike-On Program.

Students will learn how to properly ride a bike during p.e. class, as well as learn the rules of the road and learn how to properly maintain the bikes.

"This is a life skill, this is something they can do up until their elderly ages if they want to. So we want to introduce kids to those types of activities that are lifetime related activities that aren't just based on sports," said John Adams, director of health, wellness, and physical education for EPISD.

Adams said about 50 bikes will be rotated throughout each of its middle school campuses throughout the year.

EPISD also hopes to encourage students to take advantage of what the Borderland has to offer and spend some time outdoors especially at out state park.

“We have we have students on some of our campuses who have never ventured out of their neighborhoods, they don't realize that Franklin Mountain State Park exists," Adams said. "This is a great way to introduce them to those kinds of concepts that they may not have an opportunity to see otherwise.”

The bikes are expected to be brought in for the 2022-2023 school year. At the end year, EPISD hopes to host a biking event at Franklin Mountain State Park where students will be able to ride the bikes and put their skills to use.

To learn more about the grant, click here.