The entire community at West Hartford’s Conard High School is participating in the ‘Heads Up, Conard!’ initiative, with discounted helmets for sale in the school store and the ability for students to be rewarded with a gift card for wearing a helmet.

By Maureen Kenna

An important and potentially life-saving initiative has launched at Conard High School to coincide with the beginning of the spring sports season and with the goal of reducing the stigma of wearing helmets while biking and skateboarding.

Before Heads Up, Conard! launched, the fun and informative student-led video (see below) was shown to all students, featuring a variety of athletes stating that they would never play a sport like football, lacrosse, or baseball without a helmet, and would never ski without one – so why would anyone ever consider riding a bike or skateboard without a helmet.

The video was not just meant to entertain. It notes that of all sports activities, biking represents the number one cause of head injuries treated in the emergency room. In fact, it accounts for more than the total number of all head injuries related to football, lacrosse, baseball, ice hockey, and skateboarding combined. The video also attempts to bring a little cool back to wearing a bike helmet.

A rousing kick-off took place at Conard on March 17, with the opportunity for students to be properly fitted for a helmet by Brian Peck, a professional skateboarder and Conard grad. A variety of cool helmets were for sale for the heavily discounted price of $20. There were also giveaways and prizes.

Helmets will continue to be sold in the school store for $20, and the administration said that no student will go without one, regardless of finances.

“If this makes the difference with one kid, then it’s a success,” Conard Principal Julio Duarte said.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the Heads Up, Conard! initiative is the opportunity for students to be rewarded with $10 gift cards to local businesses like Chipotle, Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Subway if spotted riding to or from the Conard campus wearing their bike helmet – and this includes Saturday sports practices. Just for wearing a bike helmet!

Thanks to funding from the Conard Parent Teacher Organization, coaches, administrators, security guards, and various teachers are stocked with gift cards and on the lookout for the rest of the school year. Peter Simplicio was wearing his new helmet at the lunch table the day the initiative launched, and a security guard awarded him with the very first gift card.

Phase two of the incentive program will give local businesses the opportunity to sponsor gift cards as the initiative continues. Student athletes will continue to use the workout room even after school ends and there’s also summer school. The same students can be rewarded again and again.

The goal is to bring a little cool back to bike helmets while keeping youth safe and independent. And, if all goes well, wearing a helmet will become second nature and the incentive program will be a fun memory.

Enforcement begins at home, and many people may not realize that a Connecticut law requires that children under the age of 16 wear a helmet while traveling on roads shared with cars.

Heads Up, Conard! is currently underway.

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Students sold $20 bike helmets at the launch of Heads Up, Conard! on March 17. The helmets continue to be sold at the school store. Courtesy photo

Heads Up, Conard! is an initiative to encourage students to wear bike helmets. Courtesy photo

Heads Up, Conard! is an initiative to encourage students to wear bike helmets. Courtesy photo

Heads Up, Conard! is an initiative to encourage students to wear bike helmets. Courtesy photo