GENTRY, AR -- A grant awarded to Gentry Public Schools more than five years ago is still making a meaningful difference in the lives of students today.

Thanks to a BikeNWA grant received in 2020, hundreds of students at Gentry Primary School participated in bicycle safety and riding instruction during the 2025-2026 school year. The bicycles provided through the grant continue to provide hands-on learning opportunities that help students build confidence, improve coordination, and develop valuable lifelong skills.

The grant provided the school with 22 Strider bikes and helmets for use to teach young students to balance on a bicycle and then ride. The school was one of six schools to receive the BikeNWA grant at the time, and students have been using the new bikes continuously since receiving them.

The bikes allow students to learn balance first by sitting on the bike and striding them along with their feet. Once students have learned the art of balancing, pedals can be added so they can learn to pedal and ride.

While some of Gentry's youngest students arrive at school already comfortable riding a bicycle, others have little or no experience. Through a unique physical education program developed by Gentry Primary School PE teacher Angie Moore, students learn everything from properly fitting and securing a helmet to balancing, steering, and safely navigating a bicycle.

The lessons focus not only on riding skills, but also on personal responsibility and safety.

"Learning to ride a bicycle teaches independence, responsibility, balance, perseverance, and safe decision-making," Moore said. "For many children, riding a bike is one of their first opportunities to explore the world around them while developing healthy habits that can last a lifetime."

The program's impact extends beyond the school. As the City of Gentry continues investing in recreational amenities and active transportation opportunities, today's students are gaining skills that will allow them to take advantage of those opportunities for years to come.

Earlier this year, the Gentry City Council approved approximately $1.79 million in sales tax revenue bonds to fund significant improvements to parks and recreational facilities throughout the community. Planned projects include new bicycle trails, walking tracks, athletic courts, a splash pad, and other recreational amenities designed to encourage outdoor activity and healthy lifestyles.

The city has also partnered in a regional effort to study the proposed Pioneer Panther Trail, an 8.2-mile shared-use path that would connect downtown Gentry to downtown Siloam Springs and eventually to WOKA Whitewater Park. In addition, city leaders recently adopted the Gentry Trails and Connectivity Master Plan, which serves as a blueprint for future sidewalk, trail, and active transportation improvements that will make it safer and easier for residents to walk, bike, and roll throughout the community.

Those investments make bicycle education even more relevant for Gentry students.

"As our community continues to expand opportunities for safe bicycling and outdoor recreation, it's important that our students have the skills and confidence to participate," Moore said. "We're helping them develop habits that can benefit them for the rest of their lives."

Andrea Folger, Principal at Gentry Primary School, said the bicycle program is an example of how a single grant can continue creating opportunities long after the initial funding is spent. She credited Moore and the students for taking good care of the bicycles and equipment they were provided.

She also pointed out what began as an investment by the Northwest Arkansas bicycling community in 2020 is still paying dividends in 2026, helping hundreds of young learners gain confidence, practice safety skills, and discover the joy of riding a bicycle.

For Gentry Public Schools, that's a lasting impact worth celebrating.