Sometimes the way a message is conveyed makes all the difference, as is the case with the No Hate Tour. Founded 26 years ago, The No Hate Tour features top Bicycle Motocross (BMX) stars who put on “high-energy, action sports shows on campuses while speaking to students about their own experiences with bullying.” The tour recently made a stop at Westwood High School, where the entire student body was in attendance.
“We like the message [the riders] weave in,” said Westwood High School Principal John Murray. “It’s a high-energy assembly with an anti-bullying, no-hate message. The kids were instantly hooked as they were watching the stunts. Hopefully these messages embed themselves in what our students take away.”
Students who were asked about the assembly seemed to get the message.
“It was cool that he was trying to send a message while doing something entertaining,” said WHS student Maya.
Another student named Rocco shared what the show meant to him. “Don’t be a bystander. If you see hate, do something about it.”
The program emphasizes a number of important topics that resonate with teens, including overcoming obstacles, being an ally, inclusion, kindness, surrounding yourself with positive influences, problem-solving and mental-health awareness.
Many of those on the tour are elite BMX professionals. They include X Games Gold Medal American Freestyle BMX rider Morgan Wade, Zach Newman, who has been active in BMX for more than 30 years and is known for his prowess as a vert racer, and Daniel Sondoval, who was the 2022 overall winner of the Monster Energy Triple Challenge.
Inside the WHS gymnasium, tour crews assembled a state-of-the art half-pipe ramp for complex aerial stunts. In one exciting moment, they had Principal Murray sit on the half-pipe while a rider performed a 360-degree flip over his head.
“I give a lot of credit to Aishleen Marcus and Katherine Clifford for bringing the No Hate Tour to our students,” said Murray. “Our summer reading theme was action. Students had to read an action book, and this was a culminating piece of that. We also thought it was good to start the school year off with emphasizing our beliefs on bullying and harassment.”
“Because it intrigued us as students, we were willing to listen,” said WHS student Rocco.
Tour organizers say 28 percent of students between the ages of 12 and 18 report being bullied at school and 47 percent of them never report the incident.
“We always strive to ensure that every one of our students has a trusted adult they can go to if they are concerned or if someone needs help,” said Murray. “If you see something, say something. You can tell your teacher, your counselor, the administrative assistant at the front desk. Whoever you get a message to, we will get it to the right people.”
The No Hate Tour performs free for schools; the cost is underwritten by corporate sponsors.
