School is out, but Bicycle Coalition Youth Cycling (BCYC) summer programming has just begun! Alongside our high school All-Star season, we’ve launched Future Gears, a 6-week workforce development program! 27 youth, ages 14-18 are enrolled in this dynamic, 6-week program that combines professional development workshops, internships, project-based learning, and service learning. We’re excited for our youth participants to gain critical skills in leadership, financial literacy, time management, and career readiness, all while building confidence and independence. To help implement this exciting new program, we’re happy to introduce to you, in their own words, our Future Gears staff along with some of our BCYC alums who are interning with us to capture and report out its success.

Audrey Deren, Program Coordinator

I’m Audrey Deren, a passionate (and occasionally funny) educator from New Jersey with a Master’s degree in Deaf Education and a Bachelor’s in General Education and English. I currently teach middle school deaf students and I love my job! I also love empowering youth and supporting their journey toward success by connecting students and families with the resources and skills they need to thrive in real-world careers. Whether it’s teaching employability skills or advocating for inclusive opportunities, I’m all about making learning meaningful and fun. Outside of work, I enjoy being outdoors and going for jogs a few times a week. It’s my favorite way to recharge and stay energized. I’m excited to be part of this community and look forward to supporting every step of the journey!

 

Liz Forest, Program Assistant
Liz (she/her) moved to Philadelphia in 2018, and found that she loved biking around the city in 2020 during the early days of the pandemic. She has been talking to youth and young adults about post-secondary opportunities and the workforce since she graduated from Goucher College in 2016. She was a College and Career Access Coordinator at West Philadelphia High School, an Academic Assistant for JEVS Human Services Project WoW program, and most recently, a GEAR UP Program Coordinator for the School District of Philadelphia.

Outside of work, you can find Liz answering one question correctly at trivia nights, cooking and baking, and failing to improve her posture muscles, no matter how much Pilates she does.

Nailah Beach, Program Assistant and BCYC Alum

Nailah Beach (she/her) incoming third year student at Thomas Jefferson University and BCYC Scholarship Recipient. She has always had a love for cycling, but had little access to it in Philadelphia. That was until she joined BCYC in her Junior year of high school. This allowed her to break out of her shell and gain leadership skills that carry into her day-to-day life. It also gave her the push to work with children as she finishes her Psychology degree. She is very excited to be preparing these students to enter the workforce and gain some additional experience herself.

Terrel Bundy, Program Assistant and BCYC Alum

Hey, I’m Terrel! I’m a sophomore at Temple University, studying Media Studies and Production. I’m a radio host and hopeful media personality. I currently host a morning show on WHIP Radio (you can catch it on iHeart Radio!) and I’m working on launching a house music show for 106.5 WPPM FM.

As a university student working my way through the workforce, FutureGears was a perfect opportunity for me to give back to the community. Often, I work on projects and with organizations to uplift and showcase the Philadelphia community through multimedia. 

Outside of work, I’m probably biking around the city, going to concerts, hanging out with friends, or doing something active—whether it’s baseball, Pilates, dancing, or anything that keeps me moving. I also love screenwriting and, of course, discovering new music.

Alyssa Felix-Arreola

Hi! My name is Alyssa and I am receiving my Master of Public Health at Penn and recently completed my Master of Urban Spatial Analytics. During undergrad, I was a first-generation, low-income college student and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Global Health from the University of Southern California. I’m originally from Los Angeles, but I live in Philly now with my cat, Kiwi. I love roller skating, trying new matcha spots and exploring different neighborhoods. 

I’m excited to continue my work with the Bicycle Coalition, further expanding my knowledge of the community health impacts of the educational programming offered by this organization. I look forward to learning and growing with our youth and providing positive leadership and mentorship through Future Gears!