For twenty-six years, Department of Public Safety Trooper Jerry Bryant has been helping kids ride to success. This year, on May 17, two fourth grade students led the pack.

Cecilia Diaz was the overall girls competitor with 108 points while Britten Battles topped the boys scores with 97 points.

The talk covered bicycle laws and safety tips covering the rules of the road. A total of 37 students participated in a riding course to demonstrate their riding skills and written test. A perfect score is 120 points.

Class winners:

Kindergarten- 1, Cruz Oviedo and Audrey Martinez

First- 1, Ashton Whittaker and Justine Gonzales

Second- 1, Alejandro Velazquez, Lia Hernandez and Jia Sosa (tie)

Third- 1, Jalen Pineda and Alyssa Gonzales

Fourth- 1, Joshua Arizmendi and Britten Battles (tie) and Cecilia Diaz

Fifth- 1, Xavier Garcia and Teah Camacho

Trooper Bryant remembers having two Bike Rodeos in the district. He would travel to the former Austwell Elementary campus then swing over to the old off-green Tivoli Elementary school.

In 26 years, he has seen three generations participate. At the classroom session of the Bike Rodeo was a mother of three children in the district who clearly remembers her Bike Rodeo days when she attended elementary school in the old bat infested school in Tivoli.

Bats are still an occasional problem but not the fun the children have showing off their skills in front of their beautiful and still new looking Austwell-Tivoli Elementary School.

“Our hats are off to Trooper Bryant who enjoys bringing his bike safety program to school children throughout the region,” said Stephen Maldonado, principal.