29 Great Bend Students rewarded for perfect attendance

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Twenty-nine elementary students in Great Bend earned their own wheels this week after achieving perfect attendance for the school year. The Perfect Attendance Bike Program has been awarding bikes for more than 12 years to encourage students to attend school every day in Great Bend USD 428 Elementary schools.

Assemblies were held at all five elementary schools to celebrate the students’ accomplishments with their classmates, teachers, and families.

The effort is led by Karen Shaner and Jane Isern and is supported by a lengthy list of community donors. Walmart has been a consistent partner in the effort, providing assembly and storage for bikes in addition to financially supporting the program. This year, a custom CASE IH bike donated by KanEquip, Inc. that is valued at roughly $500. Justin Loera, a 5th-grade student from Riley Elementary was the lucky winner of the four sixth-grade students who were eligible.

Every student who achieved perfect attendance this year was awarded a bike. In addition, the Pilot Club of Great Bend provided a new fitted bike helmet to further their organization’s efforts to support brain safety and health.