That's exactly what Skyler Myers is doing. And he's torturing himself for the students of the Kansas City Missouri School District.
Myer's plan is to raise money for new school books -- in both English and Spanish -- by riding his bike to the Continental Divide.
"I've learned about the district since studying at Rockhurst
and the depleted funds that started with white flight and back to the
1950s and the blockbusting that goes on," says the 28-year-old graduate
student. "It made me want to do something to help raise some money and
some awareness."
Myers leaves this Saturday, so there's still time to sponsor him. You can sign up at his Web site.
After he leaves, the plan is to ride for seven days, stop for one day
of rest in Fort Collins, and make it to Cameron Pass in two more days.
Sponsors already include Volker Bicycles and Build A Sign.com.
The goal is to raise $9,800 -- a buck for every mile he rides and every foot of elevation.
Showing 1-3 of 3
re: Jerry Donnley
Guess what? You are a cynic.
Times are tough for people and you are going to actually criticize someone for getting off their ass and doing something?! Your comments are some of the most asinine I have read in awhile.
I have personally known Skyler for years, and I know he is not doing this for a personal "self-aggrandizing gesture [a]s a resume builder." The Skyler I know actually does care about those kids, he cares about reading and I'm pretty sure the last thing he would do is run for office when he is educated enough to know that people like you would be in the political realm. If you would actually meet him, you would recognize this immediately Mr. Donnley.
It's unfortunate that you can't admire the feat that Skyler has accomplished for these kids. Perhaps you should take your cynicism and redirect it towards a worthy cause; oh, wait, but then you would actually be accomplishing something instead of wasting time admonishing someone you don't even know.
Let me say first that I admire this young man and his enthusiasm for making a difference in the lives of kids. The cynic in me says that this self-aggrandizing gesture is a resume builder for a future run for public office.
It has never seemed to me that the KCMSD library budget was in jeopardy or that kid�s around the district are doing without books. I think the district is remiss in not making a public statement about the money they do have for the purchase of new library books in light of the lack of money suggested by this young graduate student. Instead, they are piggy-backing on the publicity this young man is receiving and enjoying it.
District libraries and classrooms are filled with underutilized books and computers. A huge amount of this money comes from Federal Title I funds. Librarians have a variety of sub-categories under their budget umbrellas and seem to have a surplus amount of money for the things they need. Librarians regularly beg teachers to submit book and video wish lists in order to spend all the money. By the same token librarians yearly discard enough out of date books to put any rural librarian into a state of nirvana.
Recent media articles have also included references to "volunteers" preparing school rooms for the opening of school. This is supposed to be an automatic part of the job description of the Building Manager, his staff, and the Maintenance Department. On a two hour task, maintenance workers spend another two smoking cigarettes and shooting the breeze with the custodians. Travel time between buildings often includes running personal errands (�I had to walk my dog�).
I don't know that "feel good" stories in the media do much to call attention to the possible financial plight of any school district. With the exception of the parents in Independence last year who volunteered to clean up those awful, terrible,
dirty, messed-up, run-down schools they wrested from the KCMSD in mid-summer, I don't recall stories of other school districts recruiting volunteers to do what is ordinarily considered to be the work of the district. If a district is having financial problems they need to resort to other methods of calling attention to their plight.
I find it embarrassing (demeaning?) for our school district to be in the news with the appearance of its hat in its hand, ready to receive the financial contributions of someone who thinks the KCMSD is so short of funds that he is riding his bicycle to raise money to purchase library books and a district eager to accept the labor and sweat of parents who are willing to paint and clean in order to get their children's classrooms ready for another school year. It makes you wonder how other districts manage to do these same things without taking up a public offering of wealth or work.
like
dislike
