Friends of Bike Works may know Sterling as the yo-yo performer from our auction. Or perhaps you know him because you’ve seen him in the hardcourt bike polo scene that’s been exploding around Seattle. Sterling came to Bike Works in 2002 as a nine year old excited about earning a BMX bike. Now we are thrilled to announce that this former youth/yoyo champion/bike polo talent/bike repair pro is joining Bike Works as our newest staff member! Sterling is serving an AmeriCorps term as our Program Assistant, helping to run all of our youth programs for the upcoming year. As an alumnus of many of these programs, Sterling brings valuable personal experience, in addition to his passion for bicycles.
Several years ago, Sterling gave up Bike Works to focus on the world of yoyos. As a senior in high school, he began to commute to high school from across town and wanted a road bike. After completing our Earn-a-Bike program, youth can come to the weekly free drop-in, where they can continue to earn bikes and parts until they turn 18. So Sterling returned. We convinced him to take the Advanced Mechanics Class and began to come around on the weekends for bike polo. He ended up in the Polo Camp that summer and, to our joy, soon signed up for the Advanced Bicycle Tour down the Oregon Coast - 450 miles of some of the hardest, most epic landscape in the West – from Astoria, OR to Crescent City, CA. Sterling has told us that this trip was a life changing experience. “I pushed myself harder than I ever had. This was possibly the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I made new friends, and I got a much needed break from my parents, normal life, and technology. This trip is the best thing I’ve done in so many ways.”
Sterling continues to challenge himself, often on the bike polo court. This summer he was an assistant instructor for our Polo All Day Camp and competed at the Polo World Championships here in Seattle! Of course, Sterling is already a champion to us here at Bike Works and we couldn’t be more pleased to have him join our staff this year .
EARN-A-BIKE
Since 1996 we have been teaching students ages 9 to 17 the basics of bicycle mechanics. In an eight week series of classes the youth learn the basics of bike repair and practice this work on recycled bikes that will be given to other community organizations. Once they have accrued 18 hours of community service doing bike repair they are able to pick out and rebuild their very own bike! If they already have a bike, they can use these hours to earn their own bike parts and accessories, or to earn a bike for someone else. Once a student has successfully completed the classes, they can continue to come to drop-in Earn-a-Bike sessions (for free!) until they turn 18. Graduated students are also eligible to use their time at Bike Works towards Seattle Public School community service requirements.
In this hands-on environment, youth explore a new world of learning outside of school. They give back to the community by repairing used bikes for others and accumulating Earn-a-Bike hours at the same time. Adult and older youth mentors provide guidance, friendship, and a strong hand to loosen bolts.
For many of our students, Earn-a-Bike is the only way they can afford to get a bike. We teach 75 students a year in these classes, and roughly half of those youth go on to complete enough community service hours to ride off into the sunset on a new bike - and with a new helmet and lock! Others spend their time keeping their own bike in repair, or working to earn cool parts and accessories for their existing ride.
Classes start quarterly throughout the school year.
If you are interested in signing up for EAB, please email naomi@bikeworks.org with your name, age, and mailing address. You will receive a registration form in the mail as soon as classes open for registration.
Next classes:
Spring EAB Session
Beginning EAB
Tuesdays, 4pm - 6pm
April 3 - May 22, 2012
(8 Tuesdays)
Advanced EAB
Requires graduation from Beginning EAB and permission from instructor
Wednesdays, 4pm - 6pm
April 4 - May 23, 2012
(8 Wednesdays)
OPEN Earn-a-Bike hours for GRADUATES only are September 15th 2011 through June 23rd 2012
Thursdays 3 to 6pm
Saturdays 2 to 5pm
**PAYMENT INFO**
Bike Works Youth Program fees are on a sliding scale. You choose the price most appropriate for your family finances:
All program fees and deposits are nonrefundable. In the event that a student needs to withdraw from a course they have already paid for, every attempt will be made to place them in the next available course, if possible and at the discretion of the Program Director
