There’s something unforgettable about the first time you ride a bike — the wobble, the wind, the moment your feet leave the ground and you’re rolling. Thanks to the All Kids Bike Kindergarten PE Learn-to-Ride Program, hundreds of kindergarteners in Missouri are experiencing that joy for the first time in school, during gym class.
This year, two St. Louis-area schools — Atlas Elementary and Green Park Lutheran School — have launched the All Kids Bike program, supported by two generous nonprofits that believe in the power of pedals: the HDR Foundation and the David and Barbara Mungenast Charitable Foundation.
Getting St. Louis Kids Rolling
The All Kids Bike program is more than just bikes — it’s a full-scale, plug-and-play curriculum designed to teach every child how to ride a bike by the end of kindergarten. Each school receives:
- A fleet of 24 Strider balance-to-pedal bikes
- Pedal conversion kits
- Adjustable helmets
- Two rolling storage racks
- Instructor bike and helmet
- PE curriculum with lessons, games, and activities
- Teacher training and certification
- Lifetime support and access to an educator portal
At Atlas Elementary, a Title 1 school in St. Louis, the HDR Foundation’s $324,000 national gift is powering the program not just here, but at 36 schools across the country in HDR communities. The global nonprofit’s support for All Kids Bike now totals more than $800,000 in just three years. The local kickoff celebration in April included HDR employees assembling the bikes and seeing students take their first rides.
“It’s rewarding to know our partnership with All Kids Bike is building the confidence of so many children year after year,” said Cory Imhoff, HDR Area Manager.
An All Kids Bike lesson. (All Kids Bike)
Meanwhile, at Green Park Lutheran School, the Mungenast Foundation helped bring the program to life with its signature hands-on style. Family members and supporters gathered to build bikes and celebrate the launch in March.
For Dave Mungenast Jr., the program was personal. “Our entire Mungenast family understands the feeling of freedom that two wheels can offer,” he said. “We keep Dave Mungenast Sr.’s memory alive by offering that same freedom to the youth in our community.”
Each school expects to serve between 25 and 100 students per year, meaning up to 1,250 kids will benefit from these programs over the next decade in just these two locations alone.
Building Confidence, Focus, and a Love of the Outdoors
“Learning to ride a bike empowers children with a positive foundation for a lifelong skill,” said Lisa Weyer, executive director of the Strider Education Foundation, which supports All Kids Bike. “Bike riding develops physical and mental well-being, instills confidence, and fosters better classroom focus.”
Both school’s leaders echoed the program’s value not only as physical education but as a confidence-building, lifelong skill that supports healthier lifestyles.
“This program will provide our students with a new and exciting way to engage in physical activity, build self-esteem, and develop a lifelong passion for health and fitness,” said Katie O’Sullivan of Atlas Elementary.
“We couldn’t be more excited to introduce this to our curriculum,” added Lisa Waltenberger, principal of Green Park Lutheran School.
Learning to ride a bike empowers children. (All Kids Bike)
A Lasting Investment in Missouri’s Young Riders
The partnerships forged by All Kids Bike are about more than charitable giving — they’re about building community, confidence, and opportunity from the ground up.
Whether in urban St. Louis or suburban neighborhoods, getting more kids on bikes means instilling a love of outdoor movement, transportation independence, and fun. And with programs designed to last seven to 10 years, the wheels set in motion today will keep turning well into the next decade.
This is great! I’ve been teaching biking in my PE curriculum for 15 years in St. Louis!