"Last year, I brought it up, but it was almost at the end of the year," said Brian Boudreau, one of the three eighth-graders who spearheaded the event. 

 

Boudreau, Evan Canales and Brenden Piaggi then set their sights on this year, turning the concept into a presentation first for teachers, then the School Committee — to which Boudreau is a student liaison — and then to the Selectmen. Throughout this process they worked out supportive policy and guidelines to make the event possible and approvable.

 

The three boys, who are all on the Student Council, worked with Mass In Motion (a state program promoting healthy living) and Safe Routes to School, a program that promotes walking and biking to school, to coordinate the event. Mass in Motion Program Director Amanda Chilson said SRTS provided a bicycle safety course to the 17 pupils, ranging from fifth- to eighth-grade, set to participate.

 

Pupils met at the Fire Station and joined another group at the Gravel Bank Road intersection and traveled to the school in a large pack, following and being followed by state police cruisers. A couple other pupils came from the North Houghton side of West Cross Road.

 

They all arrived at school around 8:15 a.m. and received a bag containing bells, reflective gear and school materials.

 

The three boys are avid bikers, and cycle on a regular basis to the town field to play basketball.

 

Their activism also earned them a spot on state Rep. Gailanne Cariddi's show, "Something You Should Know," which will be taped Saturday morning. Cariddi did not know when it will be aired, as it is up to the broadcaster Northern Berkshire Community Television.

 

"This is wonderful," Cariddi said. "This is a good, fresh start to getting healthier kids into our school system."

 

Chilson said the next step is to figure out how often to implement the Bike to School Day — whether it's weekly or monthly or whatever interval.

 

"Now biking is on everyone's radar," Chilson said. "This is a big step for Northern Berkshire." 

 

Prior to Friday's event, Don Boudreau, Brian's father, said he could not recall a time when children biked to Clarksburg Elementary.

 

Boudreau, Canoles and Piaggi hopes biking to school becomes a daily thing for future pupils, including Boudreau's and Canales' fourth-grade sisters.

 

Bike to School Day kicks off North County's National Bike Week, which officially runs from May 11-19. On Thursday, May 18, from 6 to 8 p.m., there will be a forum at the Adams Visitors Center focusing on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail (bike path) and immediate solutions to improve the area's bike friendliness. North Adams' Bike Night on Friday, May 17, starts at 5:30 at the Public Library for a family-friendly group ride.