Eddie Sylvester, a Learning Center parent, owner of Natural Landscaping Service, also trail crew leader of the Southern Appalachian Bicycle Association (SABA), recently spearheaded a volunteer workday to expand the walking trails in the school's T.O.L.C (The Outdoor Learning Center). Sylvester worked with Rod Fortney, Vice President of SABA, an organization known for its strong offering of mountain and road bike adventures in areas of North Georgia, Southeastern Tennessee and Southwestern North Carolina.
An idea was born from this single day of volunteer trail building in T.O.L.C.: our students will have the opportunity to repurpose mountain bikes in an effort to get more kids active and on bikes. The possible skills learned in that "classroom" will be limitless.
Soon, Brian Rourke, owner of All American, a new estate sales, antique market recently relocated to downtown Murphy, NC, in the old Dickey Supply building, joined the concentric circles of community members interested in providing used bikes in conjunction with a mentoring program for repurposing the bikes in an environment where students also have the opportunity to learn the basics of entrepreneur/business ownership.
In geometry, two or more objects are said to be concentric, coaxal, or coaxial when they share the same center or axis. Steve Kurti, Learning Center High School staff member is leading the charge to develop and center the Murphy Influencers, a group of middle and high school students with opportunities to learn first hand what it means to be a part of a Community of Learners, impacting and making a difference in the greater community.
All it takes is one stone thrown into the waters to see the concentric circles begin to form.