KNDO/KNDU Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA | Bicycles work as an incentive for perfect attendance

Bicycles work as an incentive for perfect attendance

YAKIMA, Wash. -- As the school year wraps-up some students at MLK Elementary are riding into the break on some new wheels. But, not just anyone qualifies.

"The requirements are you can't be gone, you can't be tardy, you can't be on vacation, I'm sorry, even though that's a parents thing you have to be here 182 days," said Phil Vasquez, principal, MLK Elementary.

The Yakima Schools Foundation, Catholic Credit Union, Memorial Hospital and K-Mart sponsor an incentive program. The chance to win a bike with perfect attendance.

Every year K-Mart gives a discount so the bikes can be purchased and this year funds were a little short so they donated one of the bikes and helmets.

Principal Vasquez says the incentive program helps, this year 20 students had perfect attendance. In the three years they've been giving away bikes overall attendance has improved as well.

"Even in spite of that flu that we had, we had a big old rash of kids just disappearing during the winter," said Vasquez.

There are six bikes so a student from each grade, kindergarten through 5th gets a bike.

"I was a bike rider when I was a kid. I lived on my bike. When I see a kid get a bike like this, a brand new bike and take it home it just makes their day," said Vasquez.