RideSafe Foundation Reaches 1,200 Students in a Single Day
Date: May 13, 2025
Location: Bay Area Civic Center – Ashland, Wisconsin
Presented by: RideSafe Foundation powered by BRP
In collaboration with: Wisconsin DNR, WATVA, National Guard, local law enforcement, safety educators, and community volunteers
A Massive Safety Activation for the Next Generation of Riders
On Tuesday, May 13, the RideSafe Foundation delivered one of its most powerful events to date—reaching 1,200 K–12 students from four different school district from Ashland County and the surrounding region. The School districts of Ashland County, Butternut, Winterset, and Mellon all bused in children for high-impact interactive powersports safety education.
The format included three on stage presentations, and 2.5 hours of face-to-face safety instruction covering six different stations covering these categories.
- ATVS
- UTVS
- Dirtbikes
- Snowmobiles
- Watercrafts
- Helmet Safety and proper helmet fittings
This daylong outreach, held in partnership with local, county, state, and tribal authorities, featured custom safety curriculum, real-world lessons from community mentors, and engaging interactive stations tailored for kids of all ages.
At the end of the day, the students themselves were extremely grateful for the learning experience and said so themselves. Many of the kids shared personal stories telling of their own experiences or how someone they know who had been impacted by a powersports accident.
A True Community Effort
The event brought together a diverse group of safety leaders and volunteers:
- Wisconsin ATV/UTV Association (WATVA)
- Wisconsin Department Of Natural Resources (DNR)
- Minnesota National Guard
- State, Tribal, County, and Local Law Enforcement Officers
- Public Safety Officials
- ATV Safety Institute Certified Safety Instructors
- Association of Snowmobile Clubs
- WATVA Trail Ambassadors and instructors
- Association of Wisconsin Snow Mobile Clubs
- EMS First Responders and Hospital Administrators
- Professional Powersports Racers
- Teachers, school leaders, and community advocates
- and numerous volunteers from the surrounding communities
This united front delivered a full day of station-based learning, covering everything from ATV sizing and helmet safety to real-life injury prevention, hazard awareness, and terrain training.
“It was an incredible moment to witness a local family doctor recognizing a student who had crashed weeks earlier—and personally telling him it was time to replace his helmet. That’s what community-based safety education looks like.”
— WATVA Team Member
🚩 The Five Red Flags: Teaching Kids to Identify Risk
Kids rotated through stations dedicated to RideSafe’s “Five Red Flags” campaign—each focusing on the most common contributors to fatal and life-altering youth ATV/UTV accidents:
- Riding adult-sized machines
- No safety certification
- No helmet use
- Riding in the right of way
- Rollover crashes
At each station, kids learned how to recognize red flags, prevent incidents, and apply what they learned back at home.
Masters of Safety: A New Generation of Informed Riders
Students who completed all five learning stations received a RideSafe punch card, which they could redeem to:
- Sign the Masters of Safety pledge
- Add their name to the RideSafe Flag, a growing banner of committed young riders
- Receive a RideSafe badge sticker for proudly pledging to ride responsibly
In just ten days of program rollout across multiple events, RSF’s pledge banner became completely full—filled with hundreds of kids’ signatures made of their own free will.
Interactive Stations That Brought It All to Life
- Sticker Kit Station – Kids decorated helmets with reusable cling decals, making safety gear personal and fun
- VR Demo – A small group of students tested RideSafe’s new virtual reality training, developed by G Factor Technology. “They really did love it!” – Kristen Almer
- Hubert the Safety Mascot – A peel-and-stick vinyl display where students equipped the character with boots, gloves, goggles, and more
- Gear Up Guardians Screening – Kids gathered to watch the pilot episode of RSF’s animated series, which made safety engaging through storytelling
Voices from the Field
“These officers, educators, and volunteers don’t just show up—they stay all day. They lean in. They want these kids to ride safe, and they see this program as the best way to help them do it.”
— Kristen Almer, RideSafe Foundation
WATVA Presents Safety Leadership Award to Kristen Almer
During the Ashland County school outreach event, the Wisconsin ATV/UTV Association (WATVA) presented Kristen Almer, co-founder of the RideSafe Foundation, with a special recognition award honoring her unwavering dedication to youth safety. The award celebrated her tireless leadership and nationwide impact in reducing off-highway vehicle injuries through education, outreach, and advocacy. In the words of the award inscription, Almer has “inspired a culture of responsibility and awareness in off-road recreation,” and her efforts have created safer riding experiences for thousands of children and families across the country.
📊 Impact Snapshot
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Students Reached | 1,200+ (1st to 12 Grade) |
| Schools Districts Involved | Ashland County, Butternut, and Winterset |
| Instruction Stations | ATVS UTVS Dirtbikes Snowmobiles Watercrafts Helmet Safety and proper helmet fittings |
| Instruction Hours Delivered | Over 3,000 hours hands on combined Each Instructor is giving 10 minutes per station per rotation |
| Displays | 40 pieces of Powersports Equipment and over 100 helmets |
| Agencies Represented | 10+ |
| Safety Pledges Signed | 500+ (within 10 days) |
| Community Volunteers | 45+ |
