Memorial Bike Club Awarded Grant from Youth Climate Action Fund

In its first year of existence, Vel Phillips Memorial High School’s Bike Club is already making big strides, thanks in part to a $5,000 grant from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund. The club, which launched in September 2024, received the award for its efforts to promote sustainable transportation and hands-on bike maintenance skills among students.

The grant, awarded during a citywide ceremony in April, will help to fund essential tools, bike racks and storage equipment, while also supporting an upcoming field trip to Trek Bicycle’s global headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin. There, bike club members from Memorial, East and La Follette high schools will tour the facility, meet employees working in engineering and design roles, and enjoy an afternoon of mountain biking.

“This grant really helps us make biking more accessible for students,” said Grace Riedle-Joranlien, Memorial art teacher and Bike Club advisor. “We want to create a culture where students feel empowered to ride to school and take care of their own bikes—where a flat tire or a broken chain isn’t a barrier.”

The club’s origin story is rooted in community partnerships and a strong student interest in biking. The Wisconsin Bike Fed, a nonprofit focused on increasing bike ridership across the state, approached the school last spring to gauge interest in launching a student-led club focused on bike mechanics, commuting and sustainability. Thanks in large part to the organization’s support, the club now meets weekly during lunch, offering students the chance to repair and refurbish unused bikes for school and community use.

So far, the club has attracted a small but consistent group of five to 10 students who learn practical repair skills like fixing flat tires, adjusting brakes, and tuning gears. "We’ve focused a lot on reviving older bikes from our PE storage," said Riedle-Joranlien. "It’s been amazing to see students take pride in bringing those bikes back to life and getting them back into circulation."

With support from the Bike Fed, the club has also been able to provide helmets, bike lights and access to refurbished bikes through programs like Wheels for Winners, which offers free bikes in exchange for community service hours.

The club is already hosting its first after-school rides around the neighborhood, with plans to expand weather-permitting. “We just did our first short group ride, ending with ice cream,” said Riedle-Joranlien. “The goal is to help students explore local bike paths, build confidence and have fun doing it.”

In addition to expanding infrastructure and hands-on skills, the club has launched a new “1,000 Rides to School” initiative, encouraging students to log their bike commutes using QR codes posted at bike racks around the building. Students who participate are entered into a raffle for new helmets—another step toward normalizing and celebrating sustainable transportation in the Memorial community.

“This is about more than just bikes,” said Riedle-Joranlien. “It’s about climate action, independence, and creating opportunities for students to lead. With this grant, we can continue building something that lasts.”

MMSD’s participation in the Youth Climate Action Fund aligns with the district’s broader commitment to sustainability, including its goal to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. Bike clubs like Memorial’s represent a hands-on way students can get involved in that vision, pedal by pedal.