ROCKLAND — The Specialized Foundation announced that Oceanside Middle School is one of  nationwide schools to receive a grant to begin the Riding for Focus cycling program for the 2018-2019 school year. The Riding for Focus curriculum integrates cycling into physical education classes as a way to help students achieve academic, health, and social success. 

“In addition to 36 new schools across the nation, we are delighted to have Oceanside Middle School join the Specialized Foundation family,” said Ted Theocheung CEO, The Specialized Foundation, in a news release. “With this years’ additional schools, our foundation will reach over 20,000 students, across 77 schools, in 30 states. We look forward to working closely with Oceanside Middle School to improve their students’ lives through cycling.”

As a recipient of this year’s grant, Oceanside Middle School will gain access to the Riding for Focus program curriculum, a fleet of bikes, a starter maintenance kit, and helmets to activate the program. Additionally, a select program champion will attend an in-person training hosted by the Specialized Foundation to ensure success as the program is integrated into classrooms this Fall.  

Students and staff are ecstatic about the opportunity for Riding for Focus cycling program, according to the news release.  

Program Champion Nick Citriglia, OMS school social worker, said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Logan Radley for his effort on creating the video that was submitted in Phase 2 of the grant process.  I would also like to thank Sidecountry Sports, Georges River Land Trust, and Midcoast New England Mountain Bike Association, and RSU 13 administration for the encouragement to apply for the Riding for Focus grant.  Lastly, I want to thank the Specialized Foundation for the opportunity to administer this cycling program at OMS.”

OMS Students will now have the opportunity to get students out riding and being more physically active which will increase students’ academic success. There has been ongoing research showing increased exercise can achieve similar effects of using stimulant medication for a diagnosis of ADHD.  Anecdotally it appears the more people stay active and aware they have better attention spans for the day. OMS Students and staff are excited to implement and collaborate with the community partners. 

Additionally, Oceanside Middle School will be partnering with the Rockland bike shop Sidecountry Sports to help work together to help build and maintain the school bike fleet.  

Oceanside Middle School is proud to have the support of Sidecountry Sports and their willingness to support our school. Not only for this new grant opportunity but to be a part of our June 11 activities day.  OMS students will ride bikes provided by Sidecounty Sports to the Georges River Land Trust (GRLT) trail head on Booker Street in Thomaston.  This will begin the new mountain biking trails that students will ride and maintain with the support of Midcoast New England Mountain Bike Association (McNEMBA) and GRLT.

Riding for Focus is designed to introduce middle school students to cycling’s positive effects on academic performance, health, and social success. The curriculum was developed based on studies conducted by a third-party research organization that investigated the impact of cycling on middle school students. Students that follow the curriculum have seen improvements in their standardized test scores, and the increased physical activity helps to establish life-long habits for exercise, fitness, and wellness.

The program has been found to be an inclusive experience for all students, across all ethnographic, demographic, and geographic factors, and is flexible enough to deploy in all types of schools with class sizes from 10 to 50.

To learn more, sign-up for The Specialized Foundation Blog, and follow the Specialized Foundation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to join the conversation. #RidingForFocus

About The Specialized Foundation

The Specialized Foundation was established in 2015 with the intention of introducing students to cycling's positive effects on academic performance, health, and wellbeing, with a focus on students with learning differences like ADHD. 

• About The Specialized Foundation: http://bit.ly/_TSF1
• About the Riding for Focus program: http://bit.ly/RidingForFocus1
• Riding for Focus example school: http://bit.ly/R4F_EMS

The Program Champion Nick Citriglia, OMS school social worker would like to take this opportunity to thank Logan Radley for his effort on creating the video that was submitted in Phase 2 of the grant process.  I would also like to thank Sidecountry Sports, Georges River Land Trust, and Midcoast New England Mountain Bike Association, and RSU 13 administration for the encouragement to apply for the Riding for Focus grant.  Lastly, I want to thank the Specialized Foundation for the opportunity to administer this cycling program at OMS.