The Life Time Foundation has donated a Learn-to-Ride Bicycle Program to McKenzie Elementary School in Mesquite, enabling kindergarten students to learn how to ride bikes through a partnership with the national nonprofit All Kids Bike.
The $90,000 contribution from the Life Time Foundation will fund the All Kids Bike Kindergarten PE Learn-to-Ride Program at ten schools across the U.S. for the 2025-2026 school year, including McKenzie Elementary. The initiative aims to promote physical activity, coordination, and lifelong healthy habits among young students.
“Our support of All Kids Bike is a reflection of our shared commitment to youth movement, which can have lifelong benefits,” said Sarah Emola, director of the Life Time Foundation. “We look forward to the lasting impact the Kindergarten PE Learn-to-Ride Program will make in the community and are glad that Life Time team members could be part of the bike assembly and today’s unveiling.”
The program provides McKenzie Elementary with 24 Strider balance-to-pedal bikes, pedal conversion kits, adjustable helmets, an instructor bike, two storage racks, teacher training, and an eight-lesson curriculum with games and activities. It is expected to teach approximately 65 kindergarten students to ride each year, potentially benefiting up to 650 students over the equipment’s 7-to-10-year lifespan.
“Teaching kids to ride a bike not only benefits their physical and mental well-being but also lays the foundation for a lifelong skill and improved classroom performance,” said Lisa Weyer, executive director of the Strider Education Foundation. “Together with the Life Time Foundation, we are committed to creating lasting, positive changes in communities by empowering children through the joy of biking.”
A kickoff event at the school featured representatives from the Life Time Foundation, who helped assemble the bikes. The program supports emotional, cognitive, and social development through active learning, fostering confidence and a sense of achievement.
“I can’t thank the Life Time Foundation enough for their contribution to our physical education department,” said Patrick Lawson, a PE teacher at McKenzie Elementary. “Everyone remembers when they learn to ride a bike, and I’m excited to be a part of that story with the help of Life Time Foundation. Students will not just be learning how to ride a bike but will be planting seeds of healthy habits and fun that will last their whole life.”
Since its launch in 2018, All Kids Bike has brought its Learn-to-Ride Program to over 1,600 schools across all 50 states, teaching more than 160,000 children annually. The Life Time Foundation, established by Life Time, Inc., supports youth nutrition, movement, and environmental conservation to build healthier communities.