BMX Pro Talks Anti-Bullying With Troy Students

Photo 1: Troy William B. Orenic Intermediate School fifth-grader Mackenzie Mallicoat performed a trick with BMX bicycle professional Matt Wilhelm in an anti-bullying assembly at the school.

Photo 2: Wilhelm jumps his BMX bike over W.B.O. Principal Kelly Landers and social studies teacher Grant Barker.

Troy’s William B. Orenic Intermediate School recently hosted BMX bicycle professional Matt Wilhelm in an anti-bullying assembly.

Wilhelm is a BMX flatland-style rider and motivational speaker known for his fast spinning and dynamic riding style. He is a three-time X Games medalist, a world champion silver medalist and a Guinness world record holder.

Wilhelm was also featured in the award-winning documentary, “Stop Bullying Speak Up,” with former president Barak Obama.

Wilhelm’s dual message to kids was to stand up for others who are being picked on or bullied and to not worry about fitting in. He said he crashes almost every day when doing tricks on his bike and has broken six bones. But worse than that was being picked on and teased when he was in school. Those words hurt much more than any of his injuries.

“I felt worthless,” he told the W.B.O. fifth- and sixth-graders at the assembly. “Even if you’re just joking, always think about the words you say before you say them.”

He was also pushed down a hill and injured by a group of kids at his school. Nobody stood up for him. He told himself he was through with BMX. Then a week later, a student came up to him in the lunch room and told him he could ride with him and his friends whenever he wanted.

“That one sentence said to me when I was your age changed my life,” he said. “Words are like money. They can make a person feel like they’re worth something.”

Wilhelm encouraged the students to have the courage to speak up when they see someone getting bullied.

“Especially today,” he said, “the world needs more heroes.”

Wilhelm also spoke of perseverance. After he became a BMX star, people said he was an overnight success.

“That ‘overnight success’ took 10 years to get there,” he said.

Fifth-grader Kassandra Pantoja said she liked watching Wilhelm perform his many tricks, especially “The Spiderman,” and that she will speak up for any kid she sees getting bullied.

Wilhelm’s “Tornado Spin,” which won him $25,000, was fifth-grader Maddux Chiquito’s favorite trick. He said that if he sees someone bullying another person, he will tell him not to do that. Bullying brings people down, Maddux said, and can affect them their whole lives.

Students Aiden Brown and Mackenzie Mallicoat actually got to do tricks on the BMX champion’s bike, with Wilhelm running along beside them.

Wilhelm also jumped his bike over Principal Kelly Landers and social studies teacher Grant Barker.

Landers said Wilhelm’s message was perfect for the school’s age group.

“Matt’s message of perseverance and kindness is one that is important for our students to hear over and over again,” Landers said. “At an age when students can be overwhelmed with trying to fit in with their peers, he encouraged them to be true to themselves and proud of who they are.”

Assistant Principal Kaitlin Curran helped organize the event and said the school holds assemblies as behavior rewards every six weeks throughout the year.

Another organizer, W.B.O. social worker Erika Keen, said Wilhelm was very entertaining while providing a positive message about how words can really hurt others.

William B. Orenic Intermediate School is a Troy Community District 30-C school.