Crane's McBride receives program grant from Jenny Jones

A local educator on Monday won a celebrity foundation grant for a Yuma program that assists at-risk youth.

John McBride, Crane Middle School science teacher and cycling coach, was selected as one of "Jenny's Heroes," a program of the Jenny Jones Foundation. The former day-time talk show host launched the foundation to endow individuals who make a lasting impact on their community.

McBride, who won a $25,000 award, was also the 2004 Yuma County teacher of the year. The grant will be used to buy new racing bikes, accessories, and uniforms as part of the physical education instruction of Turning Point.

Turning Point is an intervention tutoring program created about eight years ago to serve students who have failed academically. It is in lieu of social promotion or retention, so students are not just bumped up to the next grade or held back.

The goal is to help the children through the after-school program with three levels of cyclists: beginners, intermediates and a traveling team, McBride explained.

"I want to field a team in U.S. Cycling Federation sanctioned events under a licensed team," McBride said. "If you win races you can gain recognition, sponsors, earn points and advanced to higher competitive levels."

"But that's not our major goal. It's a step toward college. All the major colleges have bike race teams and I want to get these kids in to college."

Jenny Jones notified McBride by a conference telephone call at Cranes's office. Unaware he was about to receive a grant McBride said, "my goodness, they're scaring me - I thought I was in trouble."

"I have some very good news for you, you got the grant," Jones said. "I think what you're doing is terrific."

When asked why he applied for only $20,000, McBride said he wanted a better chance of getting the grant. Jones immediately boosted his award an additional $5,000. One of the first things that attracted Jones to McBride's grant application was that fact he was a teacher who was committed to taking disadvantaged children under his wing, she said.

"It was the passion that showed when he talked about how it's a good way for his kids to avoid gangs and stay in school that convinced us," Jones said.

When McBride began coaching cycling three years ago he started with inexpensive bikes he bought with his own money and with students who had never previously committed to any organized activities.

Yet now he has a team of six racers and an equal number of associate riders who train six days a week. Their dedication paid off with competitive wins in their age levels at the North End Classic in Yuma last March and more recently posting wins in Tucson, he explained.

"I'd like to expand the program, we'd like to have 20 kids next year and this grant will help," McBride said. "I believe in Turning Point and I want these kids to return next year and mentor others. The bike program builds camaraderie and can help get scholarships."

Jones remarked, that McBride seemed to be kind of awestruck, while caught up in the whirlwind of the media focus surrounding his grant.

"I just hope with all the public attention, there might be a ripple affect and generate more donations," Jones said.


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William Roller can be reached at wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.