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.
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