Every quarter, Commute Options celebrates those in our community who are getting to and from the places they go in innovative ways. So, when we heard about Olin who has been biking to school every day this year, we knew we had to learn more. While most of our Super Commuters are adults, Olin (a 4th grader at Highland Elementary) shows us that students can be too!
Since kindergarten, Olin has been biking to school with his family, though not every day and not on his own. Having biked so much with his family, Olin’s parents felt confident that he knew the safest way to get to school, so when he said he wanted to start biking daily on his own, they felt he was more than up to the task. Biking together as a family helps children learn safe biking skills and learn which routes in their community are the best for getting to and from where they need to go.
We contacted Olin’s mom, Laurie, who sat Olin down for an interview about why he bikes to school every day.
What inspired you to want to bike to school every day?
It is fun, I think it is a really good thing to ride to school everyday. Biking is better for the environment, better for global warming because you don’t need gas and I don’t have to wait for my parents to give me a ride.
What is your favorite part about biking?
I think it is fun to get to leave for school when I want, also I love to bike through the rain and there is this ice puddle I ride through that is so satisfying.
What advice do you have for other students who might want to start biking to school?
It is fun to bike to school! For cold mornings wear gloves and preferably a balaclava under your helmet and a warm jacket.
We commend Olin for his hard work and dedication to biking to school every day! We think adults and other students alike can learn a lot from him.
You and your student can be Super Commuters, too! Go to our Get There Rewards program page to learn how to sign up for the Get There App and start logging your commutes. You can learn how to get your young students walking and rolling to school by visiting our Safe Routes to Schools page.