Innovation & Impact Program brings bicycles to Pasadena youth
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At EF Academy Pasadena, we’re all about community. And we couldn't think of a better way to connect with our neighbors than through bicycling—a journey that transforms the initial fear of scraped knees into the thrilling moment of “Hey, I’m doing it!" Though cycling may be a solo activity, the shared experience of freedom, resilience, and joy brings people together in a powerful way.
At a recent event, EF Academy students and families assembled bikes to donate to the Pasadena Rec Center. The event made the most of the rolling hills that surround campus with a group bike ride led by EF Pro Cycling team members Neilson Powless, rider for EF Education-EasyPost, and Coryn Labecki, a former rider for EF Education-Oatly.
“There’s a deep nostalgia associated with bicycling. It’s really for a simpler and less paranoid time in the history of both neighborhoods and parenting. The banana seat, the training wheels, the freedom to roam—it’s culture-deep. And there’s a growing movement to bring it all back.”
– Elly Blue, Taking the Lane Vol. 8, 2012
Bicycling is more than a mode of transportation or a way to get fit, though it is those things too. Dr. Kaela Clapp, Dean of Academics at EF Academy Pasadena, said, “I see the bike build as being a really cool opportunity for our students to expand their skills, and to see that their work has an application beyond their [school] community.”
A team of students helped lead this event as part of our Innovation & Impact Program, which encourages students to solve real-world problems based on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. In this case, the focus was Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Past projects for the Innovation & Impact Program addressed environmental concerns by developing a reef-safe facial sunscreen and a car battery that is portable, sustainable, and biodegradable. Students not only come up with their own ideas, they also work with teachers and industry experts to develop and test real prototypes.
Throughout their projects, students are encouraged to use design thinking principles, particularly empathy, to create viable solutions. For example, students Sean, Adrian, and Seojun oversaw the assembly of 25 bikes with the goal of donating them to young people in the community. The hope? To enable a lifelong love of cycling.
As EF Education-EasyPost rider Neilson Powless said while attending the event, “The more people we can get on bikes through programs like this, the better.”
Learn more about EF Academy Pasadena's approach to real-life learning →