After realising the only time he got time to read was on an exercise bike, school counselor Scott Ertl decided to extend the concept to the classroom.
Working at a primary school in North Carolina, Ertl pitched the idea to his principal after thinking, "I bet a bunch of kids would find it fun to read while exercising... we could get some exercise bikes and give it a shot."
His Read and Ride program began with a single exercise bike in the corner of a classroom - which ended up being so well-received that Ertl knew he needed more.
![The Read and Ride program in Rogers, Arkansas. Photo / readandride.org](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/TFSCHAPQVRF5TW62HXT66PFFIM.jpg?auth=63fc460748ccf2dfa7a8c072d21099be89e41f2d69b424135671e2aefa5301d4&width=16&height=12&quality=70&smart=true)
He sourced bikes from garage sales, donations and through Craigslist and managed to fill an entire spare classroom with exercise bikes.