Catching up with our Roll Out Carbon Week winner
In October 2023 Youth en Route announced that Ram G., a student in Grade 10 at Forest Lawn High School, was the winner of a draw during our first Roll Out Carbon Week to win an E-Bike from B & P Cycle and Sports. This initiative encouraged students to walk, scooter, skateboard, or cycle to school all week long to reduce their carbon footprint. Ram, who usually took the bus to school, logged each day that week on our commuter challenge website!
I caught up with Ram toward the end of the school year to find out how he has been enjoying his new E-Bike. I also found out more about what his experience has been like in Youth en Route’s program at Forest Lawn High School.
Including cycling in everyday life
Ram was born in Canada, but was raised in the Philippines. “I came back here two years ago. Canada, so far, has treated me well. Life here is busy but it is definitely better in terms of quality. Education is free. Healthcare is free. And there are lots of great opportunities for someone as young as me.”
Ram says that biking is a popular mode of transportation and recreational activity back in the Philippines for those people who can afford it. “I learned to ride a bike there, but only mastered it here as there are tons of places in every community where you can practice riding your own bike unlike in the Philippines where there are only specific parks where you can safely ride your bike.”
It was real news for Ram when he found out he was the prize winner. When he was called down to the office he initially thought he was in trouble, but Youth en Route was there to inform him that he’d won the draw. Since then, Ram has also received a bicycle through our big bike giveaway at the end of the school year! An E-Bike is very different from a traditional bicycle, and because Ram was still learning how to ride, we wanted him to have access to a regular bike. Ram commented on the differences he noticed between his new E-Bike and a traditional bike. He explained that his EBike had strong brakes, and was faster overall.
His favorite thing about cycling is exercising and going around to explore. Through the Youth en Route Learn to Ride program, Ram has learned about downtown cycling routes, and how to put his bicycle on a bus when using public transit. He has included cycling in his everyday life by biking with his siblings on weekends. Ram says they travel about 3 kilometers every time they go biking together.
When asked if he would recommend cycling to his fellow classmates, Ram agreed. “You have to because you have to get out and go exploring.”
Rolling ahead to our ABC Challenge Week!
It was great to hear that Ram has been enjoying his EBike, and incorporating the skills he’s learned from Youth en Route into his everyday life. Our organization wants to continue to provide accessibility to bicycles for students across Calgary, and to create initiatives that reduce carbon emissions.
Our Youth Advisory Council has decided to call this year’s event ABC Challenge Week (The ABC stands for Anything but CARS) and the idea is that kids get out and meet people as they go to school – whether that’s on a bike, scooter, bus, carpool or even just walking. Sitting alone in a car to get to school is not how to make friends. We want to get kids connected: to the community, friends and not their social media.
More info is coming soon. You’ll be able to get logged on to register your commute through Commuter Challenge’s website!
