Showing off thrilling BMX stunts may seem like an unorthodox approach to delivering an anti-bullying message, but members of the No Hate Tour perfectly executed a combination of the two ideas in their exhibition performance on Thursday, Nov. 14, in the fieldhouse gym during fifth block and Flex. Students gathered to enjoy an action-packed assembly focused on spreading positivity and putting a stop to bullying.

The No Hate High School Tour is an educational program that visits thousands of schools across the nation yearly to share important bullying prevention strategies. The team is made up of top BMX professionals who have competed in high-level competitions around the world, including the X Games; in this tour, they come together to help students understand the importance of mental health and kindness.

“We’re just five dudes who circle the country, five very good friends, and we like to share with students some of the stuff we dealt with when we were younger and some of the other issues students face in today’s world,” BMX flatland rider Dane Beardsley said. “Everybody deals with bullying at one point or another, so we’re here to give you some tricks and tips on how to deal with bullies and how to deal with tough situations in your life.”

During the assembly, the team first drew students’ attention by performing a series of impressive tricks. The gym was set up with a jump box and half-pipe where they completed tricks from backflips, 360s, Supermans, and a new crowd favorite they called the “6-7 backflip”.

“I liked the ‘6-7 flip’, which was really insane,” Brandon Moreno Martinez ‘28 said. “I’ve never seen anyone do it before and it just really impressed me. The meme is going around everywhere, so everyone else was impressed too.”

The climax of the performance came when the riders asked for a teacher volunteer to participate in one last trick. Students yelled the names of their favorite teachers to encourage them to agree. At last, Choir Director Andre Clark was chosen to climb onto the jump box and sit on a foldable chair while one of the BMX riders would jump over him. Suspense rose as the rider went up the ramp, and the crowd erupted in cheers as he successfully soared over the teacher.

“There were a couple of my choir kids who were sitting in the front row on the far side who made physical eye contact [with me], pointing directly at me,” Mr. Clark said. “As somebody who rides bicycles and races motorcycles competitively, I wasn’t freaked out by what they were doing, but I also know that is something that is not part of our norm that we would see in our own gym, so it was a pretty cool experience to be out there.”

After engaging the crowd on their bikes, the riders’ related to the students by sharing their own struggles with mental health and advice from their experiences. They discussed different types of bullying and the importance of treating others kindly, especially online. The emcee shared his own story of receiving a hate comment on social media about his pants. Although it was a lighthearted example, it reminded students to think about their actions online and to not let other people’s negativity bring them down. The emcee’s main suggestion for any student who is currently struggling was to find a healthy distraction when they are experiencing sadness, anxiety, or other hardships. 

“My personal favorite thing about the show is showing the students what we’re passionate about,” Beardsley said. “Finding a positive outlet has helped me tremendously. BMX was my positive outlet, my passion, but for the students, a passion can be anything. It can be as silly as riding little kids’ bikes, or it can be something more traditional, like a sport. Just finding something that you love to do can help you become a happier person.”

In a world where teens are constantly exposed to negativity on social media, the No Hate Tour message was a refreshing reminder. Whether students simply enjoyed the BMX tricks and a break from regular school, or are silently struggling and needed the positive message, everyone left with an important reminder about inclusion, overcoming obstacles, and being a positive influence.

“I think that there are so many opportunities for students to be in situations where they are either being bullied or unintentionally bullying other people and not realizing that they’re doing it, so the message of no hate [is so important],” Mr. Clark said. “It’s really important to see something that is so outside of the norm for most people, to then have that opportunity to go ‘maybe I can think about what I’m posting one time.’ Even if it’s something like, ‘I remember that [BMX] guy had that really weird thing happen to him about his pants,’ that could be just the one little moment that helps somebody think about not doing that and not hurting somebody else.”