What Giving Bikes to Students Really Means: The Knapp Elementary Story

Nestled in Southwest Denver’s Westwood neighborhood, Knapp Elementary is a warm and welcoming place where young students receive a well-rounded education from a caring staff.

Year after year, we’ve had the privilege of partnering with Knapp Elementary by providing brand new bikes and helmets to 2nd-grade students through our Team Build & Give program. In this program, we create unique employee engagement experiences for corporate teams, who come together to build bikes while engaging in fun challenges. Once the bikes are built, we work together to deliver the newly built bikes to Title I 2nd grade classes. 

While anyone who’s witnessed or been part of a Team Build & Give event before can tell you just how special these events are, it’s clear that after several years of partnership with Knapp Elementary, these gifted bicycles have become a catalyst for change, weaving joy, resilience, and pride throughout the school and beyond.

Ms. Plesko, a 2nd-grade teacher at the school, was enthusiastic as she recounted the program's deep impact on her students. She said, "When my students have the opportunity to see the generosity of the community around them and receive such a generous gift, they are not only uplifted physically but also mentally. They appreciate the kindness of strangers and feel valued."

The impact transcends the students and billows over to their families, as well. She continues, “After a Build & Give, the students and families at our school feel a greater sense of belonging and appreciation for the kindness of others. Students feel special because they know what a wonderful gift they are receiving. Families appreciate the willingness of others to help bring their children a classic joy of childhood that they sometimes are financially unable to provide.”

The empowering journey begins on the day of the Build & Give event - which has become much anticipated by the students, families, and teachers, alike. After several years of partnership, students now come to 2nd grade asking when they will receive their bikes, having seen their older siblings and peers experience the excitement of a brand new bike in years past.

But the bikes are more than just shiny new toys. 

“After students receive their bikes, the ones who know how to ride already feel empowered to show off their skills and use their new mode of transportation before and after school. We have many students who are seen riding their WFW bikes back to the playground after school or through the neighborhood with friends. Students who did not already know how to ride bikes really experience a great sense of perseverance and pride in the instruction and practice that happen during the Build and Give event. Students often use this day as their first example in future years of, ‘When did you persevere?’” Ms. Plesko said. 

Beyond the immediate excitement, the ripple effects of a Team Build & Give resonate throughout the school year and into the wider community. Together, we’re giving students gifts that are impossible to quantify but are easy to see year after year as the impact of being seen, loved, and appreciated, truly transforms their lives. 

While we are based in Denver, we create Team Build & Give experiences across the United States! To learn more about the profound impact that you can create for both your team and the students you serve, please contact us here to learn more.