LYNN — Students from St. Mary’s High School in Lynn teamed up with Northeast Arc during April vacation week for a community event aimed at helping children with autism learn to ride bikes, an initiative that continues to grow in both impact and participation.
This marks the second year St. Mary’s Rachel’s Challenge group has partnered with Northeast Arc, which is now in its 19th year of running the program. Organizers expected about 14 families to attend this year’s event, held in the school parking lot and supported by student volunteers.
Planning for the event, according to school nurse and coordinator Lisa Morin-Plante, is relatively straightforward but relies heavily on collaboration. “They just contacted us, and we just put everything in place,” she said. “We provide the parking lot and then just get our Rachel’s Challenge kids to help… make sure we have our first aid stuff, water, (and) setting up.”
Students play a hands-on role throughout the day, working directly with children as they learn to ride.
“What our kids do basically is to spend time with the riders and to help them ride bikes,” Morin-Plante explained.
The effort is part of the broader mission of Rachel’s Challenge, a national organization inspired by Rachel Scott, the first victim of the 1999 Columbine school shooting. The program promotes kindness, compassion, and service, values that have become deeply embedded in the culture at St. Mary’s.
The school was recently recognized with a National Service Award for its long-standing commitment to the program. Founded in 2005, St. Mary’s chapter is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and was the first of its kind on the North Shore.
Students say that the mission translates into tangible action. “We wanted to turn awareness into action,” 11th grader Amy Tran said.
Tenth grader Cam Nunes added, “I saw how much you can help a community with small actions. It doesn’t have to be a lot.”
That philosophy is evident in traditions like “Fist Bump Friday,” where students greet each other in the hallways with simple gestures of kindness. “Even if they don’t know the other person… It’s all the little things that add up,” Morin-Plante said.
Beyond school walls, the partnership with Northeast Arc extends those values into the wider community. The nonprofit organization supports individuals with autism and their families through a variety of programs and events.
“This is one of the events we do during school vacation,” Gloria Castillo, director of family support centers at Northeast Arc, said. “We need people with a lot of energy… to be very supportive with the kids and praise them.”
The collaboration with high school students is intentional. “Even earlier you can start teaching kids to be volunteers and do good things for others,” Castillo said.
For many families, the event provides a rare and meaningful opportunity. One parent shared how they discovered the program through a local Northeast Arc location after struggling to teach their child to ride independently.
“I’ve been trying to teach my son to ride a bike for a couple years now and it’s hard to make it catch on,” Mills Sorenson, a parent who came with his son John said. “Meeting some folks that would help support him… was a great opportunity.”
The results can be life-changing. Castillo noted that while not every child masters biking, “every year one or two children learn how to ride a bike, which is fantastic.”
Morin-Plante recalled a similar success story from last year. “This little boy couldn’t ride at all, and by the time he left, he was riding… he was so happy.”
For student volunteers, those moments are just as impactful. “It’s really fun… you get to see them get so excited when they’re riding a bike,” Nunes said.
Northeast Arc’s director of volunteer services, Suzanne Ryan, shared how thankful she was for the dedication of St. Mary’s students and faculty.
She highlighted their impressive commitment to community service, noting that they show up to support local events even during their well-deserved school breaks.
As the partnership continues to grow, organizers hope to expand participation in future years, continuing a tradition that blends service, compassion, and community connection in a meaningful way.
Photo: Spenser Hasak | Purchase this photo
Photo: Spenser Hasak | Purchase this photo
Photo: Spenser Hasak | Purchase this photo
Photo: Spenser Hasak | Purchase this photo
Photo: Spenser Hasak | Purchase this photo
