September 8, 1999

Minibike program motivates youth

Counseling project strives to keep kids on the right path in life

By Garret Leiva
Herald editor
       One by one the young boys ease off the throttle as they twist and turn through a stand of birch trees. Reaching the clearing of a nearby field, the Honda X-R minibike engines drone out as each rider winds his way through a maze of trails on a sunny summer afternoon.
      Kids and motorbikes: two words that together assimilate trouble to many people. In the case of these 11, 12 and 14 year olds, nothing could be further from the truth; their very behavior has earned this off-road trip.
      Over the past three years, at-risk youth between the ages of 10 and 16 years old in Grand Traverse County have learned about themselves and how to ride through NYPUM (National Youth Project Using Minibikes). The motivational counseling program, which uses the minibike as the principle source of reinforcement, has turned lives around by establishing self-esteem and sense of belonging by getting kids off the wrong road and onto O.R.V. trails.
      "It is basically an extra motivational program targeted for at-risk kids that have been in trouble or need a little extra guidance," explained Dale Hop, who coordinates the local NYPUM affiliate chapter through the Grand Traverse Area Youth For Christ. "It is a youth development program, not a minibike program. It is about motivating kids to make good choices."
      Operating 9 months out of the year, the local NYPUM chapter works with young people referred to the counseling program from the court systems, schools and local churches. Hop noted that the program typically has 35 kids on its mailing list; the majority of which will attend 10 week sessions in the fall and spring.
      Nationally, NYPUM has a 30 year track record of success that began with the joint efforts of the national YMCA and Honda. Since 1969, Honda has contributed more than $20 million, including minibikes and financial aid, in addition to program and policy guidelines. Locally, Willie Tokishi, president of NYPUM and vice president of American Honda's Corporate Community Relations Department, will visit Traverse City for the Youth For Christ golf marathon fund-raiser slated for September 16.
      While 30 years have passed since NYPUM first started, the goals of developing responsible citizens and discouraging juvenile delinquency have not changed. Overall, the mentoring program attempts to teach work ethics, personal responsibility and respect for authority, said Hop.
      Perhaps the strongest motivational influence on kids is signing their name on a dotted line. Before a child even learns to kick start a mini bike, three or four behavior contract goals are established by both the youth and his parents. Goals, however, must meet three criteria: simple, everyone understands what is expected; measurable and obtainable. Youth then earn time on the minibikes by working toward contract goals such as doing chores, maintaining grades or not fighting with siblings.
      From there youth partake in classroom work, including safety videos, and 21 different riding lessons that cover everything from starting the engine to using the brakes, to pre-ride and post-ride inspections. "It goes from 'this is a motorcycle to these are the five weight shifts on a hill climb,'" said Hop, who rides with the youth on designated O.R.V. trails and certain permissible private property.
      For 14-year-old Ron Howard, the NYPUM program has not only provided a chance to climb hills and traverse trails, but given him a sense of direction.
      "Sometimes I still screw up on certain stuff, but I don't get in as much trouble. I think a lot more about the consequences," said the Traverse City resident.
      Ryan Martin, who never rode a minibike before entering the program, has found out both how to work the clutch and through problems in his life. "I think I've become more responsible when it comes to making choices," noted the 14-year-old Traverse City resident.
      Working with NYPUM for 7 years - previously in the Grand Rapids area - Hop knows the mini bike program goes beyond teaching kids how to ride; it also shows them a path to travel.
      "I still have young men who call and tell me how the program made a significant impact on their life," Hop noted. "These were kids heading the wrong way, but through the course of the behavior contract and mentoring they made some changes that turned their lives around."