The Collegedale Police Department is partnering with the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy to offer a free bicycling program for students. The Tennessee Highway Safety Office provides CPD with grant funding to support bicycle and pedestrian safety initiatives on the local level.
The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy offers a physical activity program that consists of a six-week initiative encouraging students in eighth grade and eleventh grade to participate in activities like bicycling, dance, swimming, volleyball, canoeing, and more.
Each participating student has chosen one activity for the program. The girls meet biweekly until Dec. 7 to partake in the activity of choice.
Molly Boyd, program manager for CPD’s Safety Initiative for Bicyclist and Pedestrians, leads the bicycle program, which allows the girls to explore bicycling ventures through the Chattanooga River Walk, Enterprise South Trails, Chickamauga Battle Field, and more. The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy does not currently have sports teams or after-school clubs; however, the success of this program may lead to the development of such, officials said.
“Partnerships like these reflect the power and impact of federal funding filtered down to the local level,” said THSO Program Manager Sharmila Patel. “This program not only promotes confidence, physical health, and healthy habits, but it teaches young girls traffic safety skills they will remember for the rest of their lives.”
To learn more about CPD’s Safety Initiative for Bicyclist and Pedestrians, contact Molly Boyd at mboyd@collegedaletn.gov.