Trips For Kids Helps Youth Turn the Corner

"We made it to the top! And I still can't believe that I did it!" – Angela, age 14, Oakland, CA

TFK knows that mountain biking can be a powerful tool to build self esteem, encourage teamwork, and offer a sense of accomplishment on trail that can change lives off trail. While we have always believed that the work we do is important, this story from one of our volunteers offers proof positive!

While on a ride on Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County, California, a TFK volunteer, David Klinger, ran into two "tough, streetwise" Latino teenagers. David noticed that one of them had many tattoos, the markings of having been a member of a gang, and what looked like cigarette burns on his body... On talking to them the youth said that he had been into a "heavy" scene; he even had scars all over his back as proof. The young man went on to mention that he would be "dead by now" were it not for this group called Trips For Kids. He had been on one of our rides a couple years ago and said it had made a big difference in his life to discover a viable alternative and to know that there are people who care. That day he had brought a friend with him to share his new-found love of mountain biking. All we could say was WOW...TFK's work really does make a difference!

April 2002

This document contains information, statistics and citations from several publications and online resources. It should provide data to substantiate the efficacy of Trips for Kids programs as we try to intervene, educate, and improve the lives of adolescents.  Content is divided into the categories listed below.

Family, Drugs, General At-Risk Data, Alcohol, Foster Care, Health, Prevention, Gangs.

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January 2003

Children and youth today

There are 61,297,467 children and youth ages 5-19 living in the United States (U.S. Census,2002). The racial and ethnic diversity of America's children and youth (under 18) continues to grow. According to 2000 Census data, 68.6% were white, 15.1% were black or African American, 7.6% indicated "other", 4% chose 2 or more races, 3% were Asian, and 1% were American Indian. Seventeen percent reported Hispanic ethnic origin (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2002).

From a study of child poverty in 20 modern industrialized countries, the United States ranks 19th at 20.3%, double the average poverty rate of all the other countries combined (Vleminckx & Smeeding (Eds.), 2001). In the year 2001, child poverty remained at 16 percent for the third year in a row and children in households headed by single mothers were nearly five times as likely as children living in households headed by married parents to be living in poverty: 39% vs. 8% (Anderson Moore & Redd, 2002).

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