McNally students participate in bikeathon to support youth mental health

A student participates in the McNally School bikeathon on April 11, 2025. (CTV News Edmonton)

Students at McNally School in Edmonton are taking part in a bikeathon on Friday for a good cause.

Teams of 10 students will ride stationary bikes from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Funds raised by the bikeathon will support CASA Mental Health, a charitable organization that provides mental health support for kids ages three to 18 and their families.

“We have so many teams here today, over 180 students participating,” Grade 12 student Kyra Schaefer told CTV News Edmonton. “We’ve raised, I’m pretty sure, over $25,000 so far, and hoping to continue raising more.”

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“[Mental health] is a huge issue, and even post pandemic became an even greater issue. But the one upside about the pandemic is the conversation got easier and people started bringing it to the light, and CASA helps the missing middle ages, three to 18,” Greg Shannon of CASA Mental Health said.

“They’re a little too complicated for primary care and the doctors, and we don’t want to see them in an emergency room.”

The bikeathon has been an annual event for the school but was paused for several years due to the pandemic.