Thirteen students from Howard High School and the Lookout Mountain Conservancy Internship Program completed a Summer Ride Series last week and were surprised with their very own mountain bikes—just in time for the school year.
Launched by SORBA Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain Conservancy, and White Oak Bicycle Co-op, the five-week mountain bike series took place on trails at LMC’s core property—land the interns help steward through their paid conservation internships. Each week, the students built mountain biking skills, confidence, and deeper connections to the land they care for.
“There are very few things in life that make you feel like a kid—riding a bike is one of them,” said Sunshine Loveless, executive director of SORBA Chattanooga. “Many of the interns face adversity every day, and our hope was to give them a chance to simply be kids by riding bikes in the woods. We know mountain biking builds confidence and resilience, but these interns already know how to persevere. This program focused on creating joy, freedom, and a lasting sense of independence. Gifting them bikes at the end wasn’t just a gesture—it was a way to ensure the experience didn’t end when the program did.”
Thanks to generous community support, the program went far beyond teaching trail skills. It gave students access to recreation, transportation, and a new sense of freedom, said officials.
“This ride series journey has been a tremendous help with my cardio, mind space, and determination to keep going,” said Jimmie, one of the student participants. “The trails were so beautiful that even though my legs were tired, I had to keep going to see where we would end up. I want to thank everyone involved for giving us bikes and teaching us how to ride.”
Each student received a refurbished mountain bike from White Oak Bicycle Co-op, plus a helmet, bike lock, and gloves donated by Handup Co. Several students said they planned to use their bikes as transportation on their college campuses this fall.
“Access to a bike can be life-changing,” said Blake Pierce, executive director of White Oak Bicycle Co-op. “We’re proud to support this program and these incredible interns. Everything we do is made possible through donations of used bikes from the community. This is proof that every contribution makes a real impact.”
Make a donation today: sorbachattanooga.org/donate