Baldwin High School welcomed the Ride for Focus program with CREATE Inc. instructor Daylon Martin at the helm this semester! CREATE Inc. has previously offered riding instructions at Midway Hills Primary and Oak Hill Middle School, but this marked the first time teaching high schoolers. Martin highlighted the program's origins, tracing back to Specialized's initiative to aid children's cognitive development through cycling. As students at Baldwin High honed their bike skills, Martin explained, "We're teaching gear shifting and bike manipulation with a goal of getting them to ride with their peers and be bike and road aware."
The success of the program was evident in its progression from elementary to middle school and now to high school, where students were not just mastering bike skills but also gaining awareness of road safety. Martin articulated a broader vision: "The goal is to bring all those three programs together and get all kids, or as many kids as possible, out on bikes and then transition them into a collegiate or a competitive program." Reflecting on the international exposure students received in Jamaica, he shared a standout achievement: "One of our kids, Marcel, got invited by the Jamaica racing team to come and train during the summer."
Martin expressed gratitude to the Baldwin County School System and the Community Baptist Church of Milledgeville for their support in making the program a success, "Looking forward to next year when school starts on January 5, we're gonna go back to the elementary and get that link going so we can be ready to go."
The Ride for Focus program not only showcases the transformative power of cycling for students but also reveals its potential to connect communities globally.
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