HIGH POINT, N.C. — Christmas came early for third grade students at Union Hill Elementary in High Point last week when they were surprised with getting new bikes. 

What You Need To Know  

Guilford County Schools partnered with The Bikes for Kids Foundation to make this possible 

The kids had no idea they would all be receiving new bikes 

Bikes for Kids Foundation helps to inspire third grade Title 1 students through character building books that are read throughout the year

“It's just an incredible feeling to see their excitement, even when they're just thinking three of their friends are getting bikes,” Lucy Chamberlain, vice president of donor relations and program expansion, said.

The third grade students were told that the three top essay writers would win a bike and helmet. The topic of the essay was kindness matters. 

Guilford County Schools partnered with the Bikes for Kids foundations in 2018, which promotes character development for students in Title 1 schools. 

Since the partnership, the foundation has donated to 30 schools in the county.

The joy on the student’s faces was priceless. All third grade students at the school were given new bikes Monday. 

Hadiyah Mandor, one of the students who won the competition, was happy that the rest of her classmates were able to go home with a bike too. 

When her principal began reading her essay out loud, she immediately knew it was hers. 

“Once I heard we can donate to charities, I already knew it was mine because I wrote that toward the beginning, and once I heard about the bullying stuff I knew it was mine,” Mandor said. 

Mandor’s mom is proud of her daughter for understanding what showing compassion looks like at such a young age.

“When she said give your teacher little notes and little gifts, I just feel like that's the biggest victory to be honest, because you can't drill that into anybody, it’s something that is learned,” she said.