The Commute Smart Ambassador Academy is now open for Raleigh teens ages 13-15. It is centered around transportation design, history, equity, and more. The goal of the program is to engage teens in activities and lessons around transportations issues and topics so they can become ambassadors for their peers and encourage the use of alternate forms of transportation whenever possible. Upon graduation of the academy, participants are awarded a free bicycle fitted to them. This is the second year of the program with last year’s inaugural program being a huge success with positive feedback from both students and parents.
Interested participants can apply through the attached application and return it via email to commute@raleighnc.gov.
We are in the process of recruiting applicants for this year’s academy. It will be held June 24 through June 28, 2024. We would like to ask if we may come present to the students in your program about the academy and invite them to apply. This is a great opportunity to learn about different transportation topics from a variety of experts in the field, as well as participate in engaging, fun activities throughout the week. Please email commute@raleighnc.gov for more information or questions.
Lunch will be provided each day. If accepted into the program, you will have the opportunity to provide dietary restrictions.
Please review last year’s daily itinerary for an overview of what can be expected. Please note that there could be a few changes to this year’s final agenda.
Program Structure
- Hosted at Raleigh Union Station.
- Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- Instruction from city staff and partners.
Curriculum
- Class 1. Introduction to Sustainable Transportation
- History of planning and transportation in the U.S. Specific focus on how post-WW II planning for cars shaped the current environment and how recent approaches seek to change that. Explores climate and health implications of car-oriented planning, with comparisons from global cities. Discussions of students’ individual experiences with mobility, as well as what they would like to see in an ideal system.
- Class 2. City Cycling and Bikeshare. Classroom/Field
- How to safely ride in a variety of contexts. Principles of safe cycling.
- Begins with classroom segment. Then group bicycle rode that incorporates downtown streets, greenways, and less urban locations. Reconvene for post-ride debrief and reflection on the bike infrastructure system in Raleigh and how to improve.
- Class 3. Transit in Raleigh and the World. Classroom/Field
- Comparison of transit systems in the U.S./globally.
- Exploration and discussion of transit plans in Raleigh and Triangle.
- Transit ride. Includes bus trip in Raleigh and train to Cary or Durham and back.
- Class 4. Bicycle Maintenance and Selection
- Hands-on work learning basic-to-medium difficulty maintenance tasks.
- Riding and understanding different types of bicycles and similar options. E-bikes, scooters, etc.
- Class 5. Vision Zero. Carpooling and E-scooters
- Introduction to concept of Vision Zero and City efforts.
- Micro-mobility/e-scooters education.
- Conduct “walking audit” exercise, determining the walkability of the Raleigh Urban Core.