Waccamaw High
Stunt riders deliver message on bullying
Usually it is basketballs or volleyballs flying through the air inside the gymnasium at Waccamaw High School.
But this week it was men riding BMX bikes doing tricks as part of the No Hate Tour.
The messages of the tour is don’t be a bully and don’t stand by if you see someone being bullied.
“In this day and age that’s a very important message, especially with social media and the texting that goes back and forth between our students,” Waccamaw principal Hunter Eddy said. “It’s important for them to hear from somebody else besides the officials at the school.”
“We’re thankful for the schools and we’re thankful that we can bring our message and maybe for that short hour of our show brighten someone’s day,” said Zach Newman, announcer for the event.
Newman is a Kentucky native and BMX rider who won a bronze medal in the X Games. He has worked for the No Hate Tour for 10 years.
Whether he’s riding or talking, Newman feeds off the energy of the crowd. The other riders do too, Newman said.
Eddy said the event was “outstanding” for his students.
“That’s probably the most we’ve had in an assembly of students all year,” he added.
Eddy was “volunteered” by his staff to be part of one of the BMX tricks. Eddy and Marine Sgt. Jordan Wilson sat in chairs on top of the ramp while Russell Summerville rode up the ramp and did a backflip over them.
Once the show was over the students got a chance to chat and take pictures with the riders. Many students asked for autographs.
The U.S. Marines are the sponsors of the tours and there were four Marines inside the gym giving students an opportunity to show how many pullups they could do.
Since it started 25 years ago the No Hate Tour has visited 3,000 schools across the United States.
Newman said it’s sometimes hard to find schools to visit because there is some suspicion about a free event.
“Schools think, it must be too good to be true,” he added.
There are currently two tours that cover the eastern and western parts of the country.
The tour that stopped in Pawleys Island started in New Orleans in late January, headed north to Ohio and is now working its way south and will end in Florida at the end of the month.
There are also No Hate Tours featuring skateboarding, surfing, motorcross, inline skating and snowboarding.
For more information go to nohatetour.com.
