April Beyersdorf, a junior at Saint Francis High School, was selected as Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition’s Santa Clara County Bike Champion of the Year for her dedication to promoting sustainable commuting and empowering her fellow students to explore car-free methods of getting to and from school.

April's passion for sustainable commuting was founded at a very young age when she began riding the VTA Light Rail with her father to preschool. Her interest only grew from there, and she is now the founder of the Sustainable Commuting Club at her school. The club's mission is to encourage other students to feel confident biking and taking public transit to school, with a goal of reducing traffic congestion and protecting the environment.

April's long-term goal is to become an urban planner and improve the current South Bay public transportation system by following the path of the old Peninsular Railway. But for now, she is focusing on making her school safer for bicyclists and pedestrians. She is currently organizing a Bike to School Day on April 28th, which she hopes will encourage more students to choose sustainable commuting options.

April says that her passion for inspiring her peers to explore sustainable forms of transportation is rooted in a frustration with the current system that seeks to make us dependent on cars. She feels rebellious when biking through neighborhoods with little to no bicycle-forward infrastructure, knowing that her presence and persistence has the power to transform her community. She envisions a total reimagining of the roads leading up to her high school where cars are directed to a designated car entrance, bike lanes are run directly to the building, and the main road is closed off to traffic so cyclists and pedestrians can get to school without fear.

In addition to her work with the Sustainable Commuting Club, April also embraces biking in her free time. She volunteers on the weekends at the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition’s Eastside Connect Farm Box Delivery program and challenges herself to pursue rides that take her 10+ miles away from home.

See also — Marin Holt, San Mateo County 2023 Bike Champion of the Year

April's commitment to sustainable commuting and her dedication to improving the safety of her community for bicyclists and pedestrians are truly inspiring. She is a deserving recipient of the Santa Clara County Bike Champion of the Year award, as part of SVBC’s annual Bike to Wherever Days, and we can't wait to see what she accomplishes in the future as she prepares to apply for college, where she plans to pursue her passion for urban planning and sustainable transportation.

Honorable mentions
Soren Spies, Arnout Boelens, Santa Clara County, for their work toward advocacy for safe streets and access.