A Presidential Commendation from President Barack Obama has been awarded to Samohi juniors, Jenna Perelman and Charlotte Biren.
This rare honor is for environmental leadership of Bike It! Day and excellence in student achievement. The US Environmental Protection Agency described their work as ” inspiring” and “motivating others through their example”
Jenna and Charlotte are co-presidents of the Samohi Solar Alliance, the biggest club at Samohi.
Both walked into the SMMUSD School Board meeting last night as part of the Samohi Solar Alliance. They were highly excited;Â ready to receive a School Board Commendation to their organization.
The Board Commendation to SSA was for initiating and leading Bike It! Day at Samohi, and across the SMMUSD District. (Bike It! Day is now a California leading environmental and bike effort in every Santa Monica school and across the District)
They knew the School Board Commendation was a big honor; fifteen other Alliance members were there to receive their certificates.
The Presidential Commendation were announced after the Board Commendation ceremony.
It was a deeply stunning surprise. A highlight moment for bikes, the environment, and two wonderful Samohi students. Santa Monica Spoke has supported Bike It! Day from the outset and really helped build it up to what it is. Thanks!
Congratulations Charlotte and Jenna!
Richard McKinnon
Bike it! Day Chair
Charlotte & Jenna with some history on Bike it! Day
Also covered in the Santa Monica Patch
Bike it! Day info, invitation letter
It all started on 6 December 2007, a regular Thursday. The Bicycle Coalition (Owen Gorman) and Samohi Solar Alliance (Lulu Mickelson) decided to call it Bike to School Day and more than 80 students obliged. The local press wrote nice piece, interviewed some of the riders, and a new tradition was born.
Just three weeks earlier, on 13 Nov 2007, many cyclists had made their way to city hall to attend a council meeting. 33 cyclists spoke to the city council to complain bitterly how the Santa Monica Police had unreasonably harassed participants at a Critical Mass ride. It is an open question for future historians if the police action has led to the new bicycle organisation at the High School….
http://www.bike-it-day.org/2011/06/obamas-bicycle-in-santa-monica.html