906 ADVENTURE TEAM

YOUTH PROGRAMS: ADVENTURE TEAM: ADVENTURE BIKE CLUB. HELPING YOUTH DEVELOP RESILIENCE, CONFIDENCE, GRIT, AND INDEPENDENCE THROUGH CYCLING. THE BIKE IS A TOOL WITH WHICH THE KIDS EXPLORE THE OUTDOOR SPACES WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES-FACING FEAR, OVERCOMING OBSTACLES, AND LEARNING HOW TO LEVERAGE FAILURE FOR SELF-IMPROVEMENT. WE INTRODUCE KIDS TO THE IDEA THAT "DOING HARD THINGS CAN BE FUND AND REWARDING." WE HELP THEM DEVELOP A "GROWTH MINDSET- AND GET THEM TO EMBRACE THE "POWER OF YET" - "SO WHAT IF YOU CAN'T DO IT, KEEP TRYING. GIVE YOUR BEST EFFORT EVERY DAY." WE WORK WITH KIDS AGE 5-17. THE PROGRAM IS CO-ED, FEATURING NEARLY A 50% SPLIT BETWEEN BOYS AND GIRLS, AND NEARLY THE SAME RATIO OF MEN AND WOMEN. ALL ADVENTURE TEAMS DEVELOP A DEEP SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION TO THE OTHER COMMUNITIES AROUND THE MIDWEST - WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER. YOUTH ARE TOMORROW'S LEADERS, AND WE HOPE THIS PROGRAM PREPARES THEM FOR THAT, AS WELL AS EQUIPS THEM AND GIVES THEM THE CONFIDENCE TO BELIEVE THEY CAN OVERCOME ANYTHING LIFE THROWS AT THEM.

MARJI GESICK 100 BIKE RACE - KNOWN AS THE "HARDEST SINGLE-DAY MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE IN AMERICA." THIS RACE IN WHICH 60% OF RACERS FAIL TO FINISH, IS THE LARGEST EVENT IN THE NATIONAL ULTRA ENDURANCE SERIES. IT ENCOURAGES MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE THEIR COMFORT ZONE TO CREATE THEIR BEST-SELF, WHERE THE PURPOSE OF THE EVENT IS NOT WINNING, BUT FINISHING THE RACE. TO FOSTER INCLUSIVITY AND EFFECT CHANGE WITHIN THE SPORT, WOMEN ARE PERMITTED TO SIGN UP EVEN AFTER THE EVENT IS SOLD OUT. DOING SO HAS ENCOURAGED MORE WOMEN TO RACE AND HAS RESULTED IN OVER 25% OF THE FIELD BEING FEMALE IN A TRADITIONALLY MALE DOMINATED SPORT.