Grant brings 18 bikes, cycling classes to Dixon’s Thomas J. Dempsey School

Dixon’s Thomas J. Dempsey School students are trading screens for trails through a grant-funded cycling program implemented this fall. The Riding for Focus program, which has been implemented in nearly 400 schools across the United States and Canada, was developed by California nonprofit Outride, founded by Specialized Bikes, to help students improve focus, confidence, and overall well-being through cycling. With the grant, Dempsey received a fleet of 18 bikes and helmets, a full curriculum, teacher training and simple student evaluation tools to track the impact of the program. Dixon Public Schools Superintendent Melydi Huyett visited the school on Friday to learn about the program and joined students on the bikes as they went through that day’s lesson. “It amazes me how much these kids learn. They love it,” TJD Principal Janine Huffman told Shaw Local.Huffman said she was surprised to learn that cycling has a significantly positive impact on the brain. Specifically, she said, it can