Fostering Lifelong Cyclists at Environmental Charter School

Back in 2018, Laura Brienza, an educator with our Positive Spin youth program, used her skills and experience to jump-start a new bike education program at the Environmental Charter Middle School. With a fleet of loaned bikes from BikePGH and a can-do attitude, Laura created the BikeECS program. Read Laura’s blog about the first BikeECS season here. Now wrapping up its seventh season, BikeECS is getting students pedaling at its intermediate, middle, and high schools. We think BikeECS is the perfect example of how to build bike programming within a district, one school at a time, by building support from administration, staff, parents, and volunteers. In recognition of this work and her work as a private cycling coach, Laura was awarded Educator of the Year by BikePGH in 2021 and The League of American Bicyclists in 2023.

We’ll let Laura take it from here and share some updates from BikeECS:

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Earlier this month, over 100 sixth graders at the Environmental Charter School (ECS) celebrated the completion of BikeECS, the school’s cycling program. Now in its seventh year, this program—an adaptation of Positive Spin—teaches essential cycling skills, empowering students to explore their neighborhoods safely and inspiring them to become lifelong cyclists.

BikeECS began as a partnership with BikePGH and ECS, which focuses on outdoor education and fostering active, engaged citizens across ECS’s K-12 district. In 2018, ECS was awarded the Outride Grant, enabling the school to acquire a dedicated fleet of bikes for middle school use. That first year, sixth graders biked on over 100 school days, navigating snowy Frick Park trails and more. Thanks to the dedication of our leadership, parents, teachers, and students—as well as support from federal funding—the program has since expanded to include bikes at the Intermediate and High Schools, along with resources for maintenance, instruction, and coordination.

Today, beyond the sixth-grade program, more than 300 ECS students in grades 3-5 are introduced to biking each spring during PE classes, many experiencing the thrill of their first rides in Frick Park. In ninth grade, students enjoy an eight-week biking curriculum each semester, learning to plan routes, practice various riding styles, and explore parks around the city. Studies show that up to 20% of middle school students don’t know how to ride a bike, and we are proud to provide this opportunity at ECS. 

Creating Pathways for Diverse Cycling Experiences

With a strong commitment to access and equity, the BikeECS program primarily takes place during the school day, reaching approximately 500 students annually. However, we also offer a range of biking programs beyond regular school hours. At the middle school, there’s an after-school biking club; the Intermediate School hosts the Little Bellas evening girls mountain biking program. We’re also looking to partner with the PA Interscholastic Cycling League to create advanced biking opportunities for students who wish to further challenge themselves. Since 2021, ECS has also taken part in National Bike to School Day, promoting cycling culture across the school community. Future plans include introducing a Strider program for younger students, with the ultimate goal of establishing a district-wide cycling curriculum. 

We regularly have cyclists and community members of all backgrounds join us for rides and share their experiences, whether related to advocacy, wellness, transportation, recreation, competition, social connection, or professional pursuits, to open meaningful conversations with our students. Our program also employs League of American Bicyclists-certified instructors to support cycling education across our schools. We are always eager to welcome volunteers and community members to join us for rides and events, and while we work to expand on-site bike maintenance instruction for students, we’d love our community to get involved. For anyone interested in riding or fixing bikes with us, email us at BikeECS@ecspgh.org

Why We Ride

With BikeECS, biking is more than a means of transportation—it’s a pathway to greater freedom, confidence, self-reliance, and a healthier lifestyle. Outride research highlights cycling’s positive impact on mental health, and we see its benefits in the enthusiasm of our students. From the excitement of sixth graders on a crisp fall ride through the neighborhood, to the joy of third graders pedaling for the first time in Frick Park, to the tranquil moments ninth graders experience while resting in Highland Park, we know biking enriches student life in countless ways.

Building Safe Spaces for Student Cyclists

Improved biking infrastructure has also been essential to our program’s success. Thanks to DOMI’s recent bike lane additions on Stanton Avenue , our middle school students can now ride safely on this once-busy street and seamlessly connect to Negley’s bike lane. These improvements underscore the message that our students—and their bikes—belong on the streets of Pittsburgh, showing them that the city is invested in creating a cyclist- and pedestrian-friendly environment.

BikeECS: Inspiring a Citywide Culture of Youth Cycling

BikeECS aims to promote cycling in schools across Pittsburgh. We have partnered with our neighbors at Neighborhood Academy, which has an established biking program, and we’re working alongside BikePGH to build connections with other schools who are starting their Outride programs. We want to be a part of a future where every student in Pittsburgh has access to the joy and freedom of riding a bike, empowering them to explore their communities confidently. Our commitment to nurturing engaged, active citizens continues to drive our mission forward, one ride at a time.

We’d love to partner with your school to get your cycling program spinning its wheels. Reach out to laura.brienza@ecspgh.org or bike.ecs@ecspgh.org

Laura Davidson Brienza,

BikeECS Coordinator