MassDOT and the Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Program are proud to announce that for the first time, a Massachusetts student has won the annual 5th Grade National Poster Contest sponsored by Saris.

Caleb Piehl of Somerville’s Dr. Albert F. Argenziano School won first place upon submitting his poster to the Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Program for entry into the contest.

The Saris 5th Grade National Poster Contest asked students from across the country to submit a poster that expressed what they love about bicycling, using the hashtag, #LongForTheRide. A national winner was then selected from the pool of statewide winners, after three days of voting on the Saris website.

“We’re so happy that Caleb’s poster is being recognized nationally,” said Erin Reed, Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Statewide Coordinator. “Using creativity to express a love for bicycling, Caleb is helping to inspire others in his community to live a more healthy and active lifestyle by safely bicycling to or from school and within his local neighborhood.”

In addition to winning a new Schwinn bicycle, helmet, and bell for being named the Massachusetts winner, as the National winner, Caleb will also receive a trip to the 2015 National Bike Summit in Washington DC. As the National winning school, the Argenziano School in Somerville will receive bike parking for 20 bikes and The Hub System from Saris. The Hub is an active transportation tracking system that makes it easy, fun and educational for schools to implement walking and biking incentive programs.

“Somerville has a strong biking community, and we encourage our students to take different modes of transportation to get to school and to be more active,” said Barbara O’Brien, Argenziano School Principal. “Because of our strong partnership with the Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Program and CycleKids, every year we are able to teach our fifth graders how to bike safely. We are excited that this new bike rack will encourage even more students to choose to bike to school.”

The Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Program is sponsored by MassDOT with funds from the Federal Highway Administration. The Massachusetts Safe Routes to School model of inclusiveness emphasizes a collaborative, community-focused approach that fosters mutual partnerships between advocacy groups, law enforcement, education leaders and public health departments that all work together to promote safer routes for children to get to school. The program serves over 700 elementary and middle schools in 190 communities throughout the Commonwealth. School partners receive year-round pedestrian and bicycle safety education instruction, as well as engagement initiatives tailored to meet each school’s health, safety, and environmental priorities.

Saris Cycling Group is located in Madison, WI, and is an industry leader committed to bicycle advocacy and manufactures bicycle parking and storage solutions, and more.