When students commit to WNY P-TECH, they do so wholeheartedly and in every way possible. For one P-TECH student, this meant riding his bike to school daily.

“One of our students, Hector Centeno Rivera from Dunkirk, was riding his bike to school, and we noticed it looked pretty unsafe,” said William Smock, WNY P-TECH principal. “I reached out to the Dunkirk Police Department to see if maybe they happened to have a bike in their police station basement that we could rebuild here at P-TECH for the student.”

When mock called the department, he was greeted by Officer Matt Christopher, who offered the student his bike. Needing only a few minor tweaks, P-TECH senior Jayden Chudy of Dunkirk installed new tires and tubes while welding instructor Jeremy Bryant fixed the seat.

Hector has been riding the bike to school ever since.