Bicycle Shop Class at Starting at Harbor High School
Published Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Bike Shop at School has begun! On Tuesday, January 30, 2007, the first Bike Shop high school class in the country opened at Harbor High as an alternative to Auto Shop. All Santa Cruz County high school students are eligible to take the class for transferrable Regional Occupation Program (ROP) credits. To register or for more information, talk to your high school guidance counselor or call the ROP program at 831-479-5333.
The brainchild of Bicycle Trip owner Berri Michel, this class aims to promote cycling in high schools in Santa Cruz. The class is being taught by Kirk Bernhardt, an experienced bicycle mechanic with over 20 years in the field. Tools and equipment for the class were paid for through grants obtained by People Power and the Bicycle Trip. Now that the class is up and running, the ROP will keep it funded and rolling into the future. The classroom is equipped with all of the tools that students need to overhaul their bicycles and to learn the skills required of a professional bike mechanic. In addition, students are exposed to many of the advantages of riding over driving through the continued involvement of People Power. The Bike Shop course is designed to be easily replicated so that any other school can offer the class.
In a time when global warming and peak oil are threatening the current transportation norms, it is critical that we teach the youth of the nation—and of the world—that bicycles are not just for fun and games. And while the enjoyment of riding a bike is easy to grasp, the use of the machine as a practical mode of transportation is a concept that many still do not understand. Thanks to everyone involved in creating this course, including our own People Power high school intern, Tim Wesolowski. We see this as an important step in the right direction.