Beneath his plastic helmet, Jesus Moreno wore a big grin as he boarded one of 575 bikes made in China and sent to his elementary school to help make a merry Christmas and improve grades.

"I never had a bike before," said Jesus, 11.

Jesus and his fellow Mary J. Scroggins Elementary School pupils, pre-kindergarten through the fifth grade, were among 10,000 students from at- or below-poverty level homes within eight counties in the Houston area, Texas, to receive new bicycles on Saturday from Elves and More.

The Houston-based nonprofit Elves and More has provided free bicycles to students in southeast Texas schools in low-income neighborhoods for 10 years. The program is the brain child of founder David Moore, who heads a family jewelry business after retiring a decade ago as a business strategy consultant for the oil and gas industry, including Sinopec and PetroChina.

Moore said he has been to China so often in his previous job -- and currently with Elves and More to Shanghai, where the bikes are manufactured -- that he was given a Chinese name, Moo Dawei.

"There are no frills, but these bikes are extremely durable," said Moore, 61. "These bikes will last 10 years."

One reason for his recent trips to China was to visit the manufacturer. The largest bikes ordered for Elves and More were specifically designed by Moore and his organization and made to specification by the manufacturer.

The bikes are given to students free of charge during the Christmas season in return for fulfilling a contract with their teacher. Earlier in the school year, the participating students agree to improve their grades and- or their conduct in the classroom.

"I worked hard," said Jesus. "I did my homework and I got an 'E' (excellent) in conduct."

Moore said the program's target students are the ones who make the lowest grades.

"About 95 percent of our students are at the poverty level. They're in the free and reduced (fee) lunch program," said San Juana Elizondo, Scroggins Elementary's principal. "The majority of the students worked really hard, so they earned their bikes. Many of these students would not have a Christmas if it wasn't for this program."

To thank Elves and More, the pupils made art that was compiled into a book by the Scroggins' art teacher and presented to Moore.

Elizondo said she hopes people in the United States will consider donating to support the work of Elves and More.

"They really are touching lives," she said.

Elves and More, which has provided more than 126,000 bicycles to children in the Houston area since the program began, is one of donor Jo Ann Petersen's charities she helps fund and support. She also works with at-risk children and helps in selecting students for academic scholarships.

"I do it because I love children," said Petersen, 63.

Jose Mares, 11, said he loves his new bike.

"I love the color -- silver -- and it's just my size," said Jose, a fifth grader.

Another fifth grader, David Cervantes, said he learned to ride on his sister's bicycle, but having his own bike is much better.

"This is my first bike and I'm excited," David said. "I like the green and gray one -- my favorite colors."

Volunteers from Elves and More, area high schools and colleges and local businesses were on hand to individually guide each pupil to the bikes to make their selection.

"I've volunteered with my husband for four years," said Modesta Mendez, 37. "We do it to help people who need help -- and so we can see the expressions on their faces when they get something their parents couldn't afford. It shows the children that they can have nice things, too."

On the smallest bicycle, one equipped with training wheels, first grader Emma Aguirre, 6, continued to ride around the school's parking lot. She seemed hesitant to leave with her parents and her new acquisition to head for home.

"I love it," she said. "It's my first bike and I'm going to ride it all day!"