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Students Become Teachers in Junior Ambassadors
By Theodore Guice
I am Theodore Guice. I am 17 years old and one of Mayor Daley’s
Junior Bicycling Ambassadors, which is in partnership with the Chicagoland
Bicycle Federation, Chicago Department of Transportation, Illinois
Department of Transportation, Chicago Park District and After School
Matters.
I am one of seven Junior Ambassadors who travel around the City
of Chicago, promoting bicycling safety with the six adult ambassadors.
During the six-week program, we visit various Chicago Park District
day camps to teach kids about bicycling safety, and hazards they
could encounter while riding; we teach them how to avoid them, and
how to be safe while doing so. We also attend public events like
the Taste of Chicago and Critical Mass.
I learned about this summer program though After School Matters
held in the spring at my school, Tilden Career Community Academy.
There is also a program held at Calvin Park High School.
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The After School Matters program is a 16-week program
that prepared me for being a Bicycling Ambassador.
Throughout the 16 weeks, my fellow Junior Ambassadors and I learned
basic bike mechanic skills and presentation skills, which are used
in our jobs as bicycling ambassadors.
We went over included fixing flat tires, wearing helmets properly,
checking our bikes to ride and locking our bikes properly. We use
these skills every day when we go to camps all over the City.
I love being a Junior Ambassador because I get to teach younger
kids — something that I haven’t done before. Plus, I
am able to see parts of the city that I never knew existed. I usually
have great experiences with the day camp kids.
My favorite day camp was Ridge Park because the kids were no older
than 5 years old.
They had a lot of energy, and they were fun to teach.
My favorite place we rode this year was also the farthest. The North
Branch Trail was a long ride, but I got to see a place I’ve
never seen before.
One of the things being a Junior Ambassador lets me to do is learn
while I teach.
I’m learning social skills and how better to react to people.
When I push myself to do a long ride that I think I can’t
do, I realize that I can prove myself wrong, and I am better because
of it.
When I ride around the city on a bike as a Junior Ambassador, going
to parts of the city I’ve never seen before, I realize it
makes me want to see the whole country.
Theodore Guice attends Tilden Career Community Academy.
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