Culture
Neilson, Coryn, join EF Academy for day of service and community
Coryn and Neilson to lead a group ride and help EF Academy students build bikes
November 7, 2024
EF Academy Pasadena, a private day and boarding school, is partnering with EF Pro Cycling to host a community bike ride and bike-building workshop on EF’s new high school campus in Pasadena on November 9, 2024.
The event features a 25-mile group ride led by two of America’s top cyclists, Neilson Powless and Coryn Labecki. After the ride, EF Academy students will lead community members in assembling 25 bicycles, obtained through the non-profit Bikes for Goodness Sake. These bikes will be donated to the Pasadena Recreation Center to benefit local youth.
“At EF Academy, our students are part of something truly unique,” says Dr. Sally Mingarelli, Head of School, EF Academy Pasadena. “Through our connection with the global network of EF Education First, including the EF Pro Cycling team, our students have access to experiences that extend beyond the classroom. Where else can young minds collaborate in multicultural teams, while also partnering with world-class athletes to make a tangible impact on their community?”
The catalyst for the inaugural event is EF Academy Pasadena’s signature Innovation and Impact program, which challenges students to work together across cultures to develop creative solutions aligned with the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Last year, one team launched a campus bike share program that not only repurposed broken and unused bicycles, but also provided students with an eco-friendly mode of transportation.
After the original team of seniors graduated in 2023, new students continued the program and are now leading the community bike build to provide sustainable transportation for more members of the Pasadena community.
“We are deeply grateful to EF Academy for their generous bike donation,” says “We are deeply grateful to EF Academy for their generous bike donation,” says Koko Panossian, Director of Pasadena’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department. “It’s incredible to see both local and international students, who have come to call Pasadena their home, give back to the community in such a meaningful way. Their commitment to making a positive impact right here in our city is truly inspiring, and we are excited to share these bicycles with the youth of Pasadena.”
To learn more about EF Academy, click here.