NEED TO KNOW
- Benson Boone surprised hundreds of elementary school students for their “Bike Bus” in Portland, Ore.
- The singer and children belted out his hit song “Beautiful Things” on their way to school
- Justin Timberlake previously participated in the Bike Bus in January
Benson Boone had elementary school students flipping out about his latest side quest.
The “Beautiful Things” singer surprised hundreds of students on their morning commute Bike Bus on Friday, Oct. 3 after fans asked Boone, 23, to join a ride in Portland, Ore.
Photos shared on the Bike Bus Instagram account showed the pop star surrounded by excited students, cycling to school, waving to crowds lined along the sidewalks and interacting with children.
Later that evening, Boone took the stage at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter as part of his American Heart World Tour, which was one of his last stops in North America before heading to Europe later this year.
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Sam Balto, the co-founder of Bike Bus, posted about the experience on Instagram on Oct. 4 with a video of him riding by with other participants and waving to the camera. “@bensonboone you brought a lot of joy to our community,” he wrote.
“Thank you for joining the #BikeBus while you were in #Portland. (Also, I love that both my sons got to experience this with me).”
“Benson Boone is the kindest, most genuine individual I have ever met. He was chatting with the kids, asking their name, answering questions, taking selfies and singing along with them,” Balto told Upworthy of Boone’s visit.
“At the end of the ride he stayed and signed hundreds of autographs for the kids. He really gave our children and community such an amazing gift.”
“What an unforgettable afternoon with @bensonboone on the #BikeBus! 🚲💫,” the Instagram caption to a video shared on Oct. 8 read. The clip featured Boone riding around with the students on their sunny commute. “The energy, the smiles, and the singing made it a ride we’ll never forget.”
“Huge thank you to Benson for joining and to everyone who tagged him and helped make this moment possible. Your support keeps the Bike Bus rolling and spreading joy to kids and communities everywhere. 💛 #BensonBoone #Joy.”
At one point during the ride while playing “Beautiful Things” on a speaker, the kids joined in for the chorus, which put a smile on Boone’s face as he sang along.
Boone isn’t the only pop star to take part in the Bike Bus. In January, Justin Timberlake joined students for a rainy commute to school, while “Can’t Stop the Feeling” played during their ride.
Bike Bus “is on a mission to transform the wellbeing of children, communities, and our climate, through biking together to school,” per the organization’s website, which is focused on helping communties launch their own Bike Buses as school commutes.
They provide prospective organizers with “the tools and guidance to create bike buses, helping them advocate for active transportation infrastructure and policy, as well as securing funding both locally and nationally.”