The Pittsburgh Youth Cycling Educator Forum brought together dozens of leaders, coaches, and teachers from across the region

Last month, The Pittsburgh Youth Cycling Educator Forum at UPMC Neighborhood Center in East Liberty brought together dozens of leaders, coaches, and teachers from across the region to share inspiration and ideas about getting young people learning on two wheels. Kudos goes to Laura Brienza from Bike ECS and Neil Walker from Cycles and Change for spearheading this forum. With a diverse group of 36 educators coming from across the region and state, the demand was clearly high for this type of in-person gathering. Educators and representatives from BikePGH, Bike ECS (Environmental Charter School), Ride Like a Girl, Major Force, Little Bellas MTB, Complete Streets at Pitt, MassBike, Bike Cleveland, DevahD Cycling, Kidical Mass PGH, Ruach Bicycle Club, Pittsburgh Faison Elementary School, Pittsburgh Interscholastic Cycling League (PICL), The Neighborhood Academy, Pittsburgh Youth Leadership, Communicycle, GAP Trail Alliance, Montour Trail Council and more!

The event kicked off with welcoming remarks from Laura Brienza followed by a presentation about teaching classes for BikePGH as a League Cycling Instructor. Next up was our professional BMXer and educator, Carley Young, who spoke about the program she created from scratch for students at Pressley Ridge day school. The students learned to overcome challenges and learn new skills thanks to Carley’s undeniable stoke! Dawna Bivens from Major Taylor Major Force spoke on the youth program that honors Major Taylor’s legacy as a groundbreaking black cyclist by sharing the love and skills of road cycling with young people in Pittsburgh. Mountain biker, Elysar Naja, spoke on how the Little Bellas program spreads the joy of off-road riding with young girls in Pittsburgh and surrounding communities. League Cycling Instructor, Jacob Evangelista, shared information about the work Complete Streets at Pitt is doing to promote safe biking and walking options in Oakland with education and encouragement activities.

Host Laura Brienza, spoke about the Bike ECS education program that has brought biking to students in almost every Environmental Charter School building. Lauren Abt from Kidical Mass spoke about how her group is bringing families with children together on bike rides and advocating for safer streets in the process. Ruach Bicycle Club’s Mike and Markisha White, presented about how their club combines the joy of BMX and mountain biking with STEM education for Pittsburgh youngsters. Neil Walker a League of American Bicyclists coach and founder of Cycles and Change discussed the value of becoming a certified bike educator. Ron Snyder, a teacher and educator from The Neighborhood Academy, spoke about bike education and racing programs there as well as The Pittsburgh Youth Leadership program that takes young people on long-distance bike rides. Scott Mandarino, a Health and Phys Ed teacher at Pittsburgh Faison K-5 school spoke about how he has incorporated bike education into his PE classes for over a decade. Ryan Oelkers spoke about how The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League is introducing young people to mountain bike racing across the state. Lastly, Bryan Perry and Phillip Torrez spoke on the educational uses of The Great Allegheny Passage and Montour Trail respectively. We capped off the event with a casual bike ride to shake out our legs and see some of our favorite bike programming sites in the east side of town.

All in all, it was a momentous day of education, inspiration, and networking and we’re exited to see what’s down the road and trail for young bike riders in the region and beyond!