Year 7, 8 and 9 students participated in program MIND.BODY.PEDAL last month.

It is a female-focused activity program headed by Bicycle Network, the same organisation which runs Ride to School Week. 

Horsham College teacher Elizabeth Klinge said the school had roughly 50 students participate. 

“We thought that was pretty good seeing it was the end of the year,” she said. 

There were four different sessions for the students. 

The first session students rode bikes around Horsham and learnt road safety on a bike and bike education. 

“Next they did a bike maintenance session where they took the bikes apart and put them back together, and learnt how to change a bike tyre,” Miss Klinge said. 

The third session focused on skin care and hygiene. 

The final session with headspace Horsham focused on what services the company provided. 

Miss Klinge said headspace told the students what they had to offer. 

‘The kids had a great time,” she said. 

Miss Klinge said the students learnt a lot from the day. 

“They learnt skills and stayed active through cycling,” she said. 

“They learnt physically, mentally and emotionally. It was a holistic approach to health. 

“For the staff involved, we thought it was an excellent program.

“Overall, the staff were happy.” 

The students won the program after participating in Active April earlier this year. 

Students tracked all of their physical activity for the month, and due to the amount of students participating, they were awarded the MIND.BODY.PEDAL program. 

Miss Klinge said the school would participate in Active April again in 2018. 

Bicycle Network spokesperson Anthea Hargreaves said MIND.BODY.PEDAL helped inspire girls to break through the unique barriers that prevent them from riding and support them to take positive action to improve their overall health.

She said after the program twice as many girls rode to school.

She said walking to school rates had also increased from 28 per cent to 38 per cent.