Trails To Success | Description
Over 15,000 children live in the community surrounding IMPACT Ministries. Over 3000 live in households which are among the most impoverished in Vanderburgh County. Many of the children struggle with behaviors limiting their social, educational and interpersonal growth.
The goal of IMPACT Ministries is to see families rise out of situations of generational poverty. The goal of the Trails to Success program is to provide our youth the opportunity to understand the connection between specific behavior choices and the resulting consequences. The hope is that they will then choose to modify their behaviors to achieve desired results.
Chris Blattman is an Assistant Professor of Political Science & Economics at Yale University. Referring to his work with street youth, petty criminals and drug-users, he states that in general, they “exhibit extreme levels of impatience, self-control problems, time inconsistency and violence.” He has found that the most effective tools in helping street youth develop legitimate social skills have been through the use of behavior modification, with “highly-prized, positive consequences.”
Trails to Success is the most powerful motivational tool we’ve ever come across for our most at-risk population – boys 10 years and up. In all our programs, it is these boys who have the most problems with anger, aggression and school issues. Trails to Success has been tremendously successful at shaping behavior in these boys.
Trails to Success involves an initial training period that usually consists of about twelve hours on the dirt bikes. After the students have mastered the lessons, they receive a certificate of completion, & are ready for the next phase of the program. Each week we agree upon a contractual obligation that must be met in order for them to ride the dirt bikes the following week. This obligation is arrived at through communication with home and/or school. If their goal is met, they board the bus that takes the entire group to Camp Carson, where they have the opportunity to ride the trails for three or more hours before returning to Evansville.
In a survey commissioned by the Honda Corporation, 82% of NYPUM (National Youth Program using Minibikes) program directors reported improved grades among student participants. 77% reported improved school attendance, while 92% reported increased respect for others. These results have been achieved through intentional positive relationships with caring adults. Character development has occurred through the progressive elimination of negative behaviors and the adoption of behaviors and attitudes more suitable to long term success.
Cost associated with this program includes program leader, material expenses, facility operating expenses, meals or snacks, and in some cases, participant riding gear. The cost per participant per session is $6. The total cost to IMPACT for one class of 15 participants is $12,200. Each child participates in at least 3 training four-hour sessions and 10 half-day trail rides. Typically, we provide 3 to 4 classes per year.
