Middle schoolers everywhere tend to be a fidgety group, so when eighth-grade Language Arts teacher, Rosa Frederick, read an article about small, constant movement improving brain function and focus, she knew she wanted to try it out in her classroom. After doing additional research, Ms. Frederick and Ms. Cope, the schools media specialist, wrote a grant to DonorsChoose.org for 12 Desk Cycles for Ms. Fredericks classroom. The grant was funded in only two months.

We began piloting with only three of the Desk Cycles, and I would ask the kids, Who wants to be a hamster today? The hands would fly up! Ms. Frederick said.

One quiet student pedaling on the bike participated more in class; another student who had previously had difficulty completing assignments, finished a challenging rough draft within one class period.

Attendance is up, too. Ms. Fredericks homeroom has the highest attendance of any homeroom at Woodstock Middle School. And knowing they have the opportunity to boost their brains through biking? She said thats an incentive worth pedaling toward.