EDUCATION OUTREACH

CONAHEC Border Pact Grant

Summer 2005
Newcomer ESL Program
On June 15-17, we used put on safety and basic repair classes for a group of 26 middle school (aged 11-14) refugee and recent immigrant students. Having arrived in the United States within the past year from Somalia, Liberia, Sudan, Mexico and other countries, they were part of a “Newcomer” program in conjunction with TUSD that focused on hands-on learning of survival skills, as well as Basic English skills. At BICAS, we conducted a variety of workshops covering safety rules, parts of the bike, concepts of recycling, fixing flat tires, using bike maps, and recycled art.

(Newcomer ESL Program Photo's)

Bowie Youth Group
A group of 5 youth from Bowie, Arizona completed the 8-week BIC-ED series and used their bikes to go on a 60 mile tour in the middle of nowhere (a.k.a. southeastern Arizona). They even traveled two hours each way twice per week to attend our workshops in the heat of the desert summer. From what we heard, they brought their bikes home, quickly disassembled, painted, and then reassembled them again for the tour. Imagination is everything. Oh yeah, they made it back alive from the tour. We haven’t heard anything about the bikes, though.

Nogales Mobility Project
Throughout the summer, BICAS collaborated with Santa Cruz County Workforce Development in the Nogales Mobility Project by facilitating the 8-week BIC-ED series and much, much more in Nogales, AZ. (see reports by Greg and Ignacio) We helped them create and organize a community bike shop like BICAS in their own community, and practiced our riding safety skills and creativity in recycled art together. All nine youth participants restored a bike for their own out of bicycles donated from the Tohono O’odham Nation Indian Reservation.

Nogales Mobility Project Report

Weed & Seed Youth Workshops
Members of the Westside Coalition Weed & Seed neighborhoods continue to enjoy bicycle and recycled art workshops at BICAS. This summer we sponsored a group of 5 dedicated youth from the Silvercroft neighborhood to complete the BIC-ED courses and successfully refurbish a bicycle. The students, aged 10-13, each completely recycled a bike of her/his liking and took it home to ride. Some students even used their creativity to make jewelry and journal books made from recycled bicycle parts!!

(Weed & Seed Workshop Photo's and Flier)

Pima County Parks & Recreation
We conducted a one-day Safety and Basic Maintenance Workshop at the Three Points Community Center with the support of Pima County Parks & Recreation. A total of 10 students and youth leaders participated in the crash course (no pun intended!), and hope to use this knowledge towards promoting improved bicycle habits and awareness in their community.