School-age kids from across Fresno County were rewarded Thursday for strengthening their reading skills over the summer months.
They received new bicycles, helmets and locks as part of the Books for Bikes program run by the Boys and Girls Club of Fresno County. The goal for the program is to keep education top of mind for all children throughout the year.

Program Recognizes Top Readers

Young people between the ages of 6 and 18 were eligible to participate in the Books for Bikes program, which kicked off in June. At the end of the summer, the Boys and Girls Club selected 125 top achievers based on the number of books and chapters read, daily attendance and overall participation.

Books for Bikes is underwritten by Granville Homes, which has distributed over 3,000 bicycles to top readers from 17 local Boys and Girls Club chapters since its inception. The program is now in its 12th year. (Granville Homes President Darius Assemi is the publisher of GV Wire.)
Other business contributors include Rubber Soul Bicycles and Derrel’s Mini Storage.
“Our goal is to inspire kids to read more books, because reading is a key to success in every academic discipline,” Assemi said. “And we know how education transforms lives.”