Putting Wheels in Motion: A Service Learning Project

The Bicycle Recycle Project took shape around the notion that middle school was the ideal time to teach students mechanical skills that they could use for the rest of their lives. The Project gives students the opportunity to believe that school can work for them. In 2002, the Bicycle Recycle Project received the Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association recognizing it as a unique and exemplary program. In 2009, Seven Hills School received California Distinguished School Recognition in part because of the Bicycle Recycle Project. Thanks to a generous grant, a state of the art Bicycle Recycle Project classroom/workshop was built in 2010. Today, the large classroom is filled with tools, bikes, parts, and exuberant students and volunteers. The Project has trained over 1500 students and built over 2000 bicycles. The Bicycle Recycle Project is continually advancing and seeking new opportunities to share the program with other schools and communities.

The Bicycle Recycle Project at Seven Hills School in Nevada City, California, provides students hands-on learning of basic bicycle mechanical skills, reinforces the value of recycling, and provides the satisfaction of helping others.

• Encourages problem-solving and critical thinking skills
• Benefits students interested in developing career pathways
• Promotes a cooperative workshop environment
• Increases social skills and a social conscience
• Provides refurbished bikes that can be kept by the student or donated to a friend, family member, or community organization