General Cycling Discussion - Student Essay Contest Topic Ideas Wanted

Hi,

I sponsor a 4th - 6th grade essay contest as part of the Amgen Tour of California's Education & Community Outreach Program. This coming year the contest will be held in late January & early February 2009. The actual A.T.O.C. starts February 14th and ends Sunday, February 22nd. Here's a link to this great race: http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/

Last year's topic was "The Perfect Bike Ride." We had great turnout from many schools, and home schooled students. The Grand Prize winner will receive a new bike, helmet and safety gear all donated by a local bike shop. They are presented the prize on the main stage just prior to the stage winner of the A.T.O.C. for that day. There are also winners & prizes for each grade level, so a total of four students are selected.

Essays, not to be over 500 words, and be neatly typed, are read by a panel of five judges at the local city hall, and the winners are a big secret until the day before the A.T.O.C. stage race.

Thanks for any great ideas you might come up with for our panel to select a worthy topic for budding writers and avid cyclists. :thumb:

How about......How could I use bicycling to help people?

"To me a bicycle means...."

With it being 4th to 6th grade, I would have them do research and write a expository and/or persuasive about helmet use/safety.

Maybe they could expand on this quote:

Think of bicycles as rideable art that can just about save the world.
~Grant Peterson

how could i use bicycling to help people?




+1

How about this: "Even though excessive bike riding can make a man sterile, is it still worth it? In fact, is it an added bonus?"

How about this: "Even though excessive bike riding can make a man sterile, is it still worth it? In fact, is it an added bonus?"

Good point. However, these guys haven't even "had the talk" with our school nurse yet! That comes in the spring. :eek:

Heck, they boys' voices haven't even started to crack. ;-)

Thanks for the "genuine" effort in assisting. :rolleyes:

How about "my best-ever bike ride" - real OR imagined

If your class has a 'enviro' beat, how about: "The Greening of America: One Bicycle at a Time"

or,

"Global Warming's Effects on Californina's Coastline, Alternative Title: How I Came to Love the Bicycle"

:p

or,

"Countries That Embrace Bicycles."

or,

"What My Bicycle Means to Me."

This suggestion is to get their mom or dad involved in a family ride. In San Ynez valley you have good riding routes. Since we don't know about their family situation, an essay could be a description of a ride with their parent or guardian.

The kid would describe the route, what they saw, what they learned, what stops they took, what pictures they took, and who went with them.

How about this: What is the greatest stunt you can imagine for a bicyclist?

How about this: What is the greatest stunt you can imagine for a bicyclist?
The topic needs to be a bit more serious, I'm afraid. Kids already do crazy & unsafe things on bikes, or at least the few that still ride. Sniff.

Our goal is to really spark interest in cycling and get some new & young blood into the sport without spilling it on the roads. As previously mentioned, we live in the ultimate cycling venue in the country - the Santa Ynez Valley on the central California coast.

Come visit us and you'll see firsthand! Oh, and we have some awesome coffee houses too for that pre-ride "kick start" or post-ride place to be-brief after an awesome ride.

"How My Bicycle Affects My Life"

"If I could ride a tandem with anyone, living or dead, who would it be andf why?"