Time flies when it’s summer vacation. Just ask a kid. The same is true for The Syndicate as team riders scramble to prepare for a new school year and the ongoing campaign to promote reading in some of California’s most challenging inner-city schools.
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During the past school year, Syndicate riders took their motorcycles into classrooms and showed the students what motocross and other action sports are all about. Once their excitement peaked, the children were challenged to surpass their school district’s minimum reading requirements by the end of the year and given incentive to do so. Anyone who met the challenge earned tickets to a California Motorcycle Association race later in the year and a very cool prize package from the program’s sponsors.
As in previous years, the response to and success of the program was overwhelming. Classes that participated in the Syndicate Challenge saw, on average, more than 25% of the students surpass school district standards for reading in their respective grades. By comparing those numbers to classes not participating in the program, its effectiveness is both obvious and staggering. Participating teachers are the first and most qualified to comment on the program. “After getting the Syndicate Reading Challenge, my class didn’t want to do anything but read,