'It gets me to graduate'

ROSEBURG, Ore. -- Some local students are putting the pedal to the medal.

A group of about two-dozen Roseburg High School students are getting ready for the ride of a lifetime.

This Friday, the kids will be kicking off a cycling trip from Coos Bay to the California redwoods.

But for many of the kids in the group, the Step Up program is about more than just going for a bike ride.

Kiona Siewell, an R.H.S. senior, told KPIC News, "Yeah, it's the reason I come to school. I wouldn't have come to school back when I was a freshman if it wasn't for this program."

The Step Up program is for kids who struggle in school.

They take their classes together, and have to earn the right to ride.

Officials say it's amazing what cycling does for a student who needs some extra incentive to do well. Ted Wilton, the Step Up teacher, says, "We've discovered that cycling is like the 5th wall of education for us."

Wilton says that it offers kids a chance to be a part of a team, learn responsibility, and replace former bad habits with a bike ride.

Not all of the students who cycle take part in the classes, some are just along for the ride.

Anthony Brinsfield said, "It's real fun. I mean, it's the only sport that I like."

But for others, it's a step towards their future. Adam Jacks summed it up in one little sentence: "It gets me to graduate."