Bicycling experts in Northern Virginia ready to work for you

Let’s have a round of applause for the people of Northern Virginia! Not just because they’re great (though they are), but because there are now 12 new, dedicated, and excited citizen-educators across the NoVa communities ready to work with bicyclists and pedestrians. In April, committed bicyclists and community leaders from Fairfax, Herndon, Aldie, Alexandria, Burke, Dunn Loring, Arlington, and Reston spent a long weekend (25 hours) with WABA’s education staff to earn their certification as League of American Bicyclists’ League Cycling Instructors. The main focus of the seminar is teacher training, providing skills and tools for public speaking, lesson design, student engagement, and more—all in the context of bicycling and riding on streets. Part of the time was spent inside where everyone could craft and practice teaching. Then, the education continued outside where folks practiced teaching bike skills and leading group rides. Prior to participating in the LCI seminar, the instructor group attended two trainings in Arlington where the focus was on pedestrian safety. These community members are now well-versed in both pedestrian and bicyclist education. They are eager to share their knowledge and talents with the larger Northern Virginia community! But they need your help to discover and connect with opportunities for bike education and advocacy. So, if you’re planning a pedestrian or bicyclist-focused event in the near future, then you should reach out and put these eager folks to work in the community! This seminar was made possible through the partnership of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and the generous donation of meeting and parking lot space by INOVA Fairfax Hospital Center.