On Friday March 21 from noon until 4 pm., Jimmie Solano, a 14-year-old Boy Scout who attends Liberty High School will supervise a Bicycle Safety Class as his Eagle Scout project. This event will be in the school bus parking lot between Liberty High and Timberview Middle Schools. Both schools are on Scarborough Drive in Briargate.

The project, a free event, will give kids (primarily from7 to10 years old) an opportunity to learn the Rules of the Road as prescribed by law. The Briargate community will benefit as a result of better-informed bikers who implement these safety rules.

The Colorado Springs Police Department and Boy Scout Troop 595 are sponsoring this safety class. Boy Scouts can complete parts of Cycling Merit Badge Requirements: 4, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6e, 7 and Cub Scouts can fulfill Cub Scout Bicycling Belt Loop Requirements 1 and 2 and the Bicycling Pin Requirements 2 and 6 (with an adult.) All participants need to bring their own bicycles and any other needed supplies (knee pads, elbow pads and helmets) and those under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian the entire time of their participation.

So far ,Jimmie has worked on his project more than 40 hours. He says he learned a lot about organizing an event of this size and also developed leadership skills. He researched extensively the information he needed in order to coordinate a safety class. He also scheduled and attended planning appointments with the Police and Fire Departments and officials from D-20. When the project is complete he must submit his final report to Scout officials for approval before he receives his Eagle Scout Award.

On the day of the class, police officers and cadets will be available to talk with kids; and Scruff McGruff, the Take a Bite out of Crime Dog, will talk to kids and hand out stickers. Scouts who know first aid and have first aid kits on hand will man all stations along the safety course route.