Third grader Thomas Gore has the coolest ride in his class at Henry H. North Elementary School in Lansing, said MSU mechanical engineering seniors.

A metallic red bike, which sports silver flames on a faux gas tank, was designed and built by Laurie Emerson, Neal Koenig, Kelly Stahley, Jeff Staniszewski and Tim Strand as part of the Shell Humanitarian Project.

Gore, who suffers from cerebral palsy, will become the first owner of the customized bike.

"We made the four-wheel cycle out to look like a motorcycle," Strand said. "The whole chopper thing is the rage right now. He was so excited, and his classmates thought it was so cool-looking.

"To see him pedaling on the bike and his classmates' reactions to it was just awesome."

Gore said he likes the bike, and his classmates think it's cool.

The students presented the bike to Gore on Wednesday and will present it to the public, sponsors, classmates and professors during the Student Design Day today.

As part of a degree requirement, students in the mechanical engineering design program are given a synopsis of about 25 different projects and must work on one for the semester.

At the Student Design Day, which will begin at 8:15 a.m. today in the Iowa and Ohio State rooms of the Union, mechanical engineering seniors will show off their completed projects.

Student groups worked for companies such as Consumers Energy, Whirlpool Corp. and General Motors Corp.

Each group was posed with a problem, such as the probability of a future pipe collapse or designing and building a system that eliminates steering column vibration.

"This capstone class integrates everything the students have been learning in their four or five years here," said Brian Thompson, the departmental design coordinator for mechanical engineering.

"We have had students working with industries for 10 years and (they) will often get job offers from those companies."

The Shell Humanitarian Project began in 1998. This semester, Shell Oil donated $5,000 to finance Gore's vehicle.

"One vehicle is created and goes to the school," Thompson said. "That one vehicle will be used by kids for the next 10 or 20 years."

One challenge the group faced was understanding the body mechanics of someone with cerebral palsy, Strand said.

Cerebral palsy limits the ability of the brain to completely control the muscles, making normal movement difficult.

"Thomas is a very smart, bright kid - his mental capacity is all there," Strand said. "It's just a muscular issue. Sometimes his legs will just lock up or he might wiggle his arm a little instead of grabbing something."

The students worked together daily this semester, spending 50-60 hours a week designing and customizing the vehicle. It features electronic steering, moveable peddles and a cord six feet in length that serves as a braking system a teacher can control.

Stahley, who said she chose the project to benefit someone, described Gore as a "character."

"He is one of the most vocal third graders I have ever met," Stahley said. "He has a great grin and was very fun to work with."

Thompson said the project is an important opportunity for the students.

"College students often get a bad reputation - with drinking too much and bonfires," Thompson said. "This is an activity that shows the community that students can do some good."