Students at two Morgan Hill schools were treated to special visits April 27 from a pair of professional cyclists who promoted bicycle safety and living an active lifestyle.
Pro cyclist “Fast Freddie” Rodriguez hosted students at P.A. Walsh STEAM Academy, while 2017 Gravel Champion of the World Alison Tetrick informed students at El Toro Elementary School.
The event was sponsored by The Amgen Tour of California, which will be riding into Morgan Hill for a May 16 time trial, as part of the month of May’s National Bike Safety Month.
Through Amgen’s Breakaway School Program, Rodriguez and Tetrick spoke with students and educators on these important topics. Bike safety is particularly relevant to this age group because children account for one-third of all bicycle-related injuries seen in U.S. emergency rooms, according to event organizers.
Despite the increasing number of adult bike riders, the amount of children riding bikes has plummeted 20 percent since 2010, according to organizers. Many children are not engaging in physical activities, which is contributing to the childhood obesity epidemic (17 percent of children in the U.S. are obese and 21.9 percent of Latino children are obese).
To learn more, visit amgentourofcalifornia.com.
