Verde Valley Wheel Fun

FUN’s long-term objectives and goals are focused on improving the physical and mental aspects of students’ lives. We have found that by providing access to bikes and exercise; focusing on teaching students nutrition’s important life role; having supportive role-model coaches; developing self-confidence and high esteem; offering earn-a-bike incentives based on attendance, conduct and citizenship; and ensuring safe places to ride with others – have a direct impact on students’ social emotional development leading to health and academic improvement.

FUN works to influence three decision makers.

The first is the individual students where we teach mountain bike handling skills, trail etiquette, nutrition and public land stewardship through a 20-course curriculum developed specifically to FUN’s specifications. Mountain biking is the sizzle FUN uses to get kids outside as its image appeals to the students.

The second decision maker we influence include school staff and administrators that FUN’s programs bring value to their school(s). Initially this was difficult as FUN’s programs had never been offered to the schools before. Now FUN’s limitation is resources as the schools have bought in and we’re expanding based on capacity.

The final decision maker is parents in that they see the value to entrust FUN with their children.

FUN’s mission is to promote mountain bicycling opportunities for young riders of all skill levels in the Verde Valley. FUN runs after-school mountain bike clubs at all eight public Verde Valley elementary schools, two public middle schools and will begin its first public high school club in 2021. FUN also has an earn-a-bike program that has awarded mountain bikes, helmets and locks to 125 Verde Valley youth since 2018 and will award 33 more in 2021. FUN also builds mountain bike skills parks at select public elementary schools, awards helmets at community events, provides an annual grant to the local National Interscholastic Cycling Association team and will introduce two half-day work week mountain bike camps in 2021.

Since its first program activity in 2018, FUN has grown the number of participating schools each year and will provide over 25,000 total kid-hours of programming in 2021. FUN is the only Verde Valley entity getting youth outside on bikes and only one of four statewide not involving racing.

FUN runs its programs with a three person volunteer board of directors, a part time paid executive director, 3 certified mountain bike coaches under contract and 33 volunteer coaches.

FUN has three programs designed to serve a diverse community of Verde Valley youth. These programs are:

• After School Bike Clubs – currently serving over 100 youth in grades 4-8. Club coaches teach mountain bike handling skills through a 20-course curriculum developed specifically to FUN’s specifications. High school clubs serving 9 students each are planned to begin in February and October 2021.
• Earn-a-Bike. FUN awards new mountain bikes, helmets and locks to participating school students, chosen by the individual schools, who exceed school standards in attendance, citizenship and conduct. The bikes come with lifetime free maintenance. Since spring 2018, 125 new mountain bikes have been awarded.
• Bike Skills Park. Ground will break in 2021 for the construction of a bike skills park on approximately 4 acres of vacant Mountain View Preparatory (MVP) School on-campus property and should take two months to complete. The school was busing students to a State park located 10 miles away for club activities. This bike skills park will go from conception to operation in less than one year due to FUN’s fundraising and project management capabilities.

In addition, FUN, and its VVCC predecessor, have provided an annual grant to the Verde Valley National Interscholastic Cycling Association team and distributed free helmets to youth aged 5-7 at the annual Sedona Celebration of Spring since 2017.

What's next...

Build mountain bike skills park at Mountain View Preparatory School in 2021 and raise funds for the construction of a second bike skills park at Oak Creek School in early 2022.

Expand after-school clubs to the public high school level in 2021.

Summer & Fall Bike Camps. FUN is partnering with Flagstaff FLYRS to hold a weeklong mountain bike camp in Flagstaff, AZ for ten students during summer 2021 and a weeklong Verde Valley camp during schools' fall break. Flagstaff is at 7,000’ elevation and provides a cool mountain air alternative to the semi-arid, hot Verde Valley. Since most Verde Valley students spend fall break alone at home while their parents are working, this camp will be a welcome, healthy alternative.