We have a winner!  Friends of Pathways congratulates Elijah Weenig, 2nd-grader at Jackson Elementary School, and the first "Fitzgerald's Bike to School Ambassador" who earns the title for the rest of this school year and coming summer.  In winning the Go By Bike – School Challenge Grand Prize, Elijah earns a new bike ($500 credit), one year of free tune ups, and a $200 gear credit all from Fitzgerald's Bicycles!

We would like to thank all of the students, staff, and faculty who participated this fall, and all of the parents who supported the tremendous commitment of these incredible kids. Through their efforts, 50 participants logged more than $3,500 miles by walking, riding, rolling, or skiing to 7 different Teton County schools and other activities and events over the fall. Here are the top finishers for the first semester of the School Challenge:

Most Miles

• 1st place:   Elijah Weenig, 2nd grade  Grand Prize Winner
• 2nd place:  Cole Prevost, 7th grade  $100 Gift Certificate to Fitzgerald’s Bicycles
• 3rd place:   Hailey Patno, 7th grade  $50 Gift Certificate to Hoback Sports

Most Trips

• 1st place:   Cole Prevost, 7th grade  $100 Gift Certificate to Fitzgerald’s Bicycles
• 2nd place:  Grant Hagen, Kindergarten  $75 Gift Certificate to Hoback Sports
• 3rd place:   Emma Kai Springett, 5th grade  $50 Gift Certificate to Wilson Backcountry Sports

Top Staff / Faculty Scores

• Walt Berling 654 miles, and 41 trips logged
• Andy Weenig 647 miles, and 120 trips logged

There will be an awards ceremony tomorrow afternoon, Friday December 18th, at 4:15pm at Fitzgeralds Bicycles.  Everyone is welcome, and winners do not need to be present to receive their awards.  Come help us congratulate the kids, and talk about ideas and improvements for next semester!

Thanks again to Fitzgerald’s Bicycles for sponsoring the Grand Prize, and to Hoback Sports and Wilson Backcountry Sports for their help in creating additional awards for the School Challenge . Thanks also to these shops for their ongoing support of Friends of Pathways, the Go By Bike and School Challenge programs, and the efforts of our local non-motorized commuters and recreationalists!

Additional thanks go to the Teton County School District and the participating schools, who helped and encouraged the kids, and also to the Teton County Schools Rec District for direct support through their grants program. This support, along with additional funding from WYDOT and the Safe Routes to School program enables Friends of Pathways to develop and improve the programs in the coming years.

Upcoming – Bus Ridership! Friends of Pathways was recently awarded a grant from the Teton County Schools Rec District to enhance the Go By Bike – School Challenge website, allowing us to incorporate bus ridership. We will be working on this over the next semester, so please be patient, and keep riding the bus to school if you’re not able to walk, ride, roll, or ski. We’ll implement this tracking as soon as we’re able, so that bus ridership is included in the competition.

Friends of Pathways is proud to bring you the School Challenge.  With funding from the Teton County Recreation District and the WYDOT Safe Routes to School Program, the School Challenge allows students and teachers to log miles that they bike, walk, roll, or ski to and from school and other activities. Safe Routes programs can improve safety not just for children, but for a community of pedestrians and bicyclists. They provide opportunities for people to become more physically active and to rely less on their cars (SRTS, 2009).

For more information, or to sign up for your free account, go to our Go By Bike - School Challenge website.