Ride Through Our Year!
Youth en Route has a lot to look back on after the completion of the 2024–25 school year. We have reached more students than ever, empowering them to discover their potential and pedal their own pathways to success.
During the 2023–24 school year, Youth en Route reached 1,293 students at 23 schools. This grew a whopping 260 per cent in just one year. Over the 2024/25 year, Youth en Route taught a 4698 students across 32 schools to cycle safely through our three programs: our high school biking program, adaptive biking program, and new winter biking program.
Where We’re at Now
In total, Youth en Route has taught 4,698 students in 2025. Youth en Route provided 155 bikes to students after our fall programs. Our spring programs were so busy that we are still trying to meet the demand for bike donations. We received 260 requests for bikes – and about 40% have been fulfilled to date. The sheer volume of reach is astounding for a charity that is only four years old.
“To see our little charity grow so quickly just shows the demand in schools,” explains Laura Shutiak, Executive Director of Youth en Route. “We are so thankful that teachers see this as a life skill for their students, and we hope to find the funding needed to meet the demand in the 2025–26 school year.”
“Teachers consistently highlight how well Youth en Route aligns with our District’s goals around promoting physical activity, sustainable transportation, and inclusive education,” says Donny Marchuk, Consultant, Physical Education 10–12 in the Calgary Catholic School District. “The engagement from schools like All Saints, Bishop McNally, Father Lacombe, and Our Lady of the Rockies this year is a clear reflection of the demand and the meaningful impact your programs are having on our students, including those with special needs.”
Why We Teach Youth to Ride
Of course, for Youth en Route, the work we do goes beyond the number of youth in our programs. For our staff, it’s valuable because of the empowerment and connection that biking brings to youth. Kimberley, one of our Cyclists in Residence, recalls one of her most treasured stories.
One young woman, new to Canada, was especially keen to keep practising long after the bell. With more chatting, Nelson learned the girl’s 80-year-old grandmother knew how to ride a bike, despite being raised in a culture that didn’t allow women to cycle. She was motivated to learn in the hopes she could take her grandmother on a surprise bike ride on Mother’s day to show off her new skills.
“The biggest thing I take away is the empowerment youth feel after a week with Youth en Route. They can get to their part-time jobs. They can go out and have fun with their friends. They’re no longer tied to the house or to transit or waiting for, you know, somebody with a car. They’re free, and they know that they’re free. And when we give them a bike, there’s no stopping them.” —Kimberley Nelson
Our typical programming covers five days. We start with some basics and the ground rules (no wheelies, no skidding!) and get each student fitted with a bike and helmet to use for the week. They move from balance to braking and control and then add in how to use gears efficiently. The highlight of the week is a short community bike ride that is tailored to students. Some classes from Forest Lawn High School rode to Elliston Park. All Saints kids rode to Tim Hortons. For most Students, this was their first experience taking a bike anywhere.
Our adaptive programs also grew exponentially. Reaching over 500 special needs students, this is the only area where we work with students right from Grade 1. Cyclist in Residence Chris Linder has taken the lead coordinating our adaptive cycling and he was amazed at how the younger students experienced such growth in skills.
“One little guy at Ron Southern School was so tentative,” said Linder. “The teachers told us he wasn’t very interested in physical activity and he was very reluctant to wear a helmet. But by the second day, he’d sit on the bike, soon was riding with help. I expect to see him be able to cycle independently.
In adaptive programs, Youth en Route staff take an assortment of bikes – recumbent mobos, traditional trikes and a more supportive Rifton model to schools and provide support to ride them either inside or out. We were able to buy bikes for schools in 2023/24, but didn’t have that luxury this school year. “We know that bringing these bikes for a week at a time, and helping teachers get students riding is valuable” explains Shutiak, “But our ideal world is one where the schools have the bikes for every day use – and we can just be there to support teachers and help maintain the bikes.”
On Tap for Next Year
We strive to continue growing and providing more students with our cycling education programs. We cannot wait to teach more students like Shalom, who are eager to learn how to ride and embrace the positive impact biking has.
“I feel [Youth en Route] has impacted me in a very positive way… I like the view that they have in terms of spending more time outside… because it’s better to be outside—there’s fresh air, and it’s good for mental health.”
—Shalom, Student at Father Lacombe
As a charity, Youth en Route’s vision is for every Calgarian student in Grade 10 to receive an education about cycling in their PE class. Youth en Route strongly believes that biking is not just a form of exercise, but a conduit for youth empowerment and connection that fuels future growth.
