Bicycles Most Wanted

DeWitt Perry Middle School

Carrollton, TX

Pictures

Training Schedule

Community Sponsors

Edwin Maldonado

A bicycle should be a part of every child's life. The Bicycles Most Wanted Program® (B.M.W.) is an outreach program that works with local groups and students to collect used bicycles, refurbish them, and distribute them to children in the community. B.M.W.’s mission is to offer quality bicycles to the children of local communities, who otherwise would not have a bicycle of their own as well as help our students learn a trade and “give back” to the local community.

B.M.W. began in 1994 at the Federal Correctional Institution, Fort Dix, New Jersey. This New Jersey B.M.W. location refurbished more than 100 bicycles in 1994 and after completing 10 years of operation is currently refurbishing 175-250 bicycles each year. Bicycles are collected and distributed by the following organizations: community school districts, police departments, bicycle organizations, and other interested groups, such as Wal-mart.

Bicycles Most Wanted provides staff supervision and we have workspace at Perry for refurbishing bicycles. Founder Edwin Maldonado attends trainings regularly along with various members of the Carrollton police

department. DeWitt Perry Staff sponsors of the program are Mr. Aaron Kaulsky and Ms. Tracy Wall.The center had established a vocational training program that teaches the youth skills necessary for bicycle refurbishing, including business, inventory and time-management skills. Community service programs, such as Bea’s Kids, have received bicycles for their children.

DeWitt Perry has 20 students that regularly attend B.M.W. Students commit to come twice a week on Tuesday and Thursdays after school. Students meet from 4:00 to 5:30 and have refurbished over 30 bicycles this year. After a B.M.W. member has attended 15 times the student is rewarded with a bicycle of their choice. Some students have participated often enough that they are working toward their second bike. These students have chosen to donate these earned bikes to siblings, other family members or just friends that are less fortunate. Some of these refurbished bicycles have been returned to the schools for Perry students and local elementary school students that may not have a bike.

No only have student learned the tangible skill necessary for bike refurbishing, but Bicycles Most Wanted has offered them personal skills such as responsibility, generosity and commitment. The student’s experiences in B.M.W. will have lasting contributions in their lives. For more information you can visit their national website at WWW.BICYCLESMOSTWANTED.COM.