LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A class of third graders at the RISE STEM Academy for Girls completed a special project today. Working with Bluegrass AMBUCS, a group that makes adaptive tricycles for children, the students learned firsthand how simple machines are made and their potential to change lives.
Initially, someone from RISE reached out to Ben Kasa, president of the Bluegrass AMBUCS chapter, to speak to both third-grade classes about adaptive tools like tricycles.
“She wanted me to come in and talk about adaptive tricycles,” Kasa said. “I suggested maybe we can do one better we can actually build a bike with the kids.”
Kasa saw an opportunity for the kids to get involved by splitting up the bike into parts and assigning them to each of the girls.
“I've built dozens and dozens of these so I was able to kind of break up the parts,” Kasa said. “We luckily had just enough kids and just enough steps that everybody got to do like one key component to the bike so everybody got to have an equal share in the build, so that was a lot of fun for them.”
“Every girl had one step of making the bike, so it also took a lot of patience on their part, which I'm very proud of,” said Tayver Allen, one of the two third-grade teachers. “After about 45 minutes to an hour it was done, and they got to see the teamwork and the community within that that they worked together to do. It was very special.”
“I was number 17 and I knew that I was going on the 17th step,” third grader Charlotte Peake explained.
Mary Thom Adams, the other teacher, added, “we did it as a third grade class together. A lot of times it's kind of separate, but this was our whole grade coming together and doing this and so it was really cool to see their patience and their teamwork as a unit.”
The classes together built the bike the day before Christmas break. Today, they had a special session to meet the recipient.
“We did not expect that we were going to see her in person,” said another student, Nia Hostler. “It was like fun in a way that we got to see her ride the bike in person.”
In front of the class, 13-year-old Sophia Lanham took a small test ride as the girls cheered on.
“I feel happy,” Lanham said.
“She already asked could she stay home the rest of the day from school to ride this bike,” Georgietta Cunningham, Lanham’s grandmother, added. “I'm like, Sophia, it's snowing outside.”
The class met Lanham and asked some questions, and then Lanham took a ride out the door.
“I mean they're so proud of themselves and they should be because they made that change and it's really special,” Allen said.
“It’s good when kiddos help each other,” said Lanham.
