Meet Jonathan Thai, the 17-year-old from Alpharetta, Georgia whose nonprofit raised $30,000, donated 400 bikes and taught 350 children to ride

A 17-year-old high school student from Alpharetta, Georgia, has built a non-profit organization that has raised over $30,000, distributed 400 bicycles and taught hundreds of children how to ride safely. Jonathan Thai, a competitive triathlete and rising high school senior, founded Pedal Forward in early 2025 after a major outdoor retailer shuttered its local community biking programs. Recognizing the gap in accessible cycling instruction for local families, Thai launched free training clinics and equipment drives across his community. His efforts earned him national recognition as the 8,351st Daily Point of Light award winner, a national honour established by Points of Light to celebrate outstanding volunteer service across the United States.

Filling a community void

The inspiration for Pedal Forward arose in January 2025 when outdoor retailer REI discontinued its Experience program, which had previously provided affordable bike training classes. “Something like biking might just look recreational at first glance,” Thai told Points of Light in an interview highlighting his recognition. “But it can have such a big impact for a family that doesn’t have access to transportation – getting to school, getting groceries, getting to a job.” Drawing on his background as a triathlete and his family’s history as refugees from the Vietnam War, Thai sought to make cycling accessible to low-income and underserved youth. His parents had instilled in him the importance of community support, prompting him to organize his first official training clinic on the local Greenway Trail in June 2025. To fund equipment and expand operations, Thai forged partnerships with volunteer networks, including the National Charity League and the Young Men’s Service League. Through these alliances, Pedal Forward raised $30,000, securing 400 donated bicycles and distributing 500 helmets to participants.

Hands-on instruction and national expansion

Pedal Forward designs its clinics to accommodate children of varying skill levels. Each training camp typically hosts between 35 and 40 children, maintaining a one-to-one ratio of participants to volunteer instructors. For beginners, volunteers temporarily remove the pedals from the bicycles, allowing young riders to master their balance before learning to pedal. Advanced groups take part in guided rides along community trails under the supervision of lead instructors, many of whom are Thai’s triathlon teammates. The clinics conclude with practical drills, including cone-weaving exercises and games designed to build spatial awareness and braking control. Since hosting its inaugural session, Pedal Forward has held 12 free clinics, providing direct instruction to more than 350 children. The non-profit has expanded beyond Georgia, establishing active regional chapters in Tennessee and New York to deliver equipment and safety education to children in other states.

Going global with Pedal for Vietnam

Building on its domestic momentum, the organization is preparing an international expansion through an initiative titled Pedal for Vietnam. Inspired by his parents’ heritage, Thai is organizing a humanitarian mission aimed at supplying more than 300 bicycles to children living in rural areas of Vietnam, where access to personal transport remains a barrier to education. Reflecting on the growth of the organization, Thai emphasized the broader influence of local grassroots action. “The small things that you might not think have much effect have more impact on families and communities than you realize,” Thai said. “If you teach one kid how to ride, maybe they go on to teach other kids. Maybe they start something of their own. Everything has a ripple effect.”