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Motogo teaching confidence, building grit through motorcycles

By General Posts

by Taylor Bruck from https://www.mynews13.com

CLEVELAND — Not everyone learns in the same way. Some people are visual learners, some are auditory, some learn better through reading and writing and others are kinesthetic learners, which is another way of saying “hands-on.”

What You Need To Know

  • The nonprofit Motogo teaches young people life skills through motorcycles
  • They teach students how to take apart a motorcycle and put it back together
  • They do that by bringing back shop class through partnerships with schools and community organizations
  • Motogo helps students learn from their failures and build self-confidence, resilience and grit

“I’ve always been a hands-on learner, and I can relate to students who have a hard time sitting still in class. I think I played sports my whole life because that’s how I learned. I learned by doing and using my hands,” said Molly Vaughn, the executive director of Motogo, a nonprofit in Cleveland.

With a majority of funding tied to high test scores in schools, many districts in the U.S. eliminated their shop classes in the 70s or 80s. She and her husband Brian Schaffran are bringing it back.

“He’s the head coach at Motogo. I love being his boss,” said Vaughn.

Schaffran owns Skidmark Garage, and in 2017 alongside Vaughn, the two founded its nonprofit educational wing, Motogo. Motogo is a mobile shop class with a mission to teach kids to solve problems and build grit and confidence through building motorcycles.

Schaffran is a former high school math and history teacher. It wasn’t until he could use his hands that he really fell in love with learning.

“Once I just learned by doing, then that woke my motivation up to take as many college classes as I could and learn as much as I could about everything in the world,” said Schaffran. “Getting a kid to memorize is one thing, but getting a kid to love to learn is the ultimate goal, and shop class helps some students wake up that love of learning.”

He’s not alone. Many people prefer to learn by doing.

“I find it easier, like when you’re actually like in the field doing something, not just like reading off a book,” said Liam Michael, a junior at Saint Martin de Porres High School, a school currently hosting an after-school Motogo program.

“It’s different. I’s something I never thought about doing so it’s fun doing it and learning,” said Maladdia Williams, a freshman at Saint Martin de Porres High School.

Motogo has already been in more than 20 different schools and community organizations. They offer quarter-long and full semester in-school and out-of-school STEM curriculums, as well as week-long summer camps for middle and high school students.

“It helps me figure out what I want to do. I mean, the more knowledge, the better,” said Elijah Williams, a sophomore at Saint Martin de Porres High School.

“I learned a lot about the tools. Like I really didn’t know any tool names or like all the different sizes and stuff,” said Summer Onwundinjo, a freshman at Saint Martin de Porres High School.

Motogo aims to be that outlet to teach young people that there’s a place for everyone to succeed in life, regardless of what motivates them.

“This isn’t a boy’s world, and this isn’t a boy’s job. This is everybody’s job,” said Schaffran. “Girls are better at this and should be trying this and should be getting their hands dirty. And I hope that it’s going to take a generation or two, but I think this is the beginning of a permanent change in who gets to do what, and who’s better at what, and who gets to experience this kind of confidence and victories.”

Motogo also aims to give them the physical and metaphorical tools to succeed in life, helping young people realize that failing is just another word for learning. If at first effort doesn’t work, try and try again.

“We just want to be one opportunity, maybe find the kids that haven’t found that thing that sparks them yet,” said Vaughn. “We’re really a unique opportunity to make someone feel valued, who feels left out, whether a student wants to go into a manufacturing career or they want to go into something more like becoming a doctor or a lawyer, or they’re going to be a stay-at-home parent one day. It doesn’t really matter what the end product is. We know that by taking shop classes again, that it’s going to rewire their brain to kind of think about the way you approach the world differently.”

“A lot of people don’t know that they can fix the world around them and they don’t have the confidence to even try most of the time. Hopefully, after going through a Motogo course, they just gain a little bit more nerve, a little bit more confidence than they’re willing to try and grab a tool and figure it out and problem solve,” said Schaffran. “Whatever problem that someone comes across, I hope that they say to themselves, well, I rebuilt a motorcycle. If I did that, I can do this.”

For more information on Motogo visit their website.

Royal Enfield Donates More Than $100,000 in Motorcycles, Parts to Youth Program

By General Posts

Royal Enfield and BUILD Moto Mentor Program Partner to Benefit Wisconsin Students

Royal Enfield Donates More Than $100,000 in Motorcycles, Parts to Youth Program

MILWAUKEE (Nov. 22, 2019) —​​Royal Enfield​ and ​BUILD Moto Mentor Program​ are joining forces in a unique partnership designed to use motorcycles to build positive futures forWisconsin high school students. The BUILD program is a non-profit educational organizationthat pairs teams of high school students with bike-building mentors for the opportunity to learntrade and technical skills. Through a new multi-year partnership, Royal Enfield will donate 16Classic 500 motorcycles to the program along with parts, support and technical trainingmentors. The organization hopes the partnership will allow BUILD to grow the number of highschools in Wisconsin able to participate in the program.

Now in its tenth year, BUILD provides students with opportunities to learn trade skills includingdesign, welding, fabrication, mechanical repair and machining as they relate to the motorcycleindustry. In addition to acquiring technical skills, teams also participate in marketing andfundraising efforts promoting the program and host local events showcasing their work, growingtheir exposure to professional and life skills.

“The partnership with Royal Enfield opens up many opportunities for us, not only in the ability toimmediately support more teams, but also explore additional benefits we can provide to theparticipating students. We are excited for the future of the program with the partnership of RoyalEnfield here in Milwaukee as they share our passion to bring motorcycling and STEM-relatedskills to youth,” said Kevin Frank, president of BUILD Moto.

Last year, Royal Enfield’s flagship dealer in Milwaukee mentored a team, and for the past twoyears the brand was the presenting sponsor of the Brewtown Rumble, a vintage motorcycle show that serves as the program’s largest fundraiser. “We were eager to increase ourinvolvement with BUILD after seeing firsthand the positive results it has on the youth here in theMilwaukee area,” said Rod Copes, president of Royal Enfield Americas. “We recognize thebenefits of engaging youth in the motorcycling industry early on and are honored to helpparticipants acquire skills that will serve them well today and into adulthood.”

This year’s program starts in December, with teams required to meet at least once a weekthrough winter and spring. Other local businesses, such as Indian Motorcycle of MetroMilwaukee, are also integral to the program as the sponsors of the Dyno Day, where all teamsare invited to bring their builds to the Muskego location and receive a dyno run.

Student teams will ultimately compete for a final award, the Royal Enfield BUILD Cup, which willbe presented at the largest outdoor motorcycle show, Brewtown Rumble, sponsored by RoyalEnfield in June.

About BUILD – Founded by ​The Iron Horse Hotel​​in 2011, BUILD is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to pairing teams of high school students with bike-building mentors in a collectiveeffort to learn valuable life and interpersonal skills while working on motorcycles. http://buildmoto.com/

About Royal Enfield – The oldest motorcycle company in continuous production in the world, Royal Enfield made itsfirst motorcycle in 1901. A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield has created the mid-size motorcycle segment in India with its unique and distinctive modern classic motorcycles.With its manufacturing base in Chennai, India, Royal Enfield has been able to grow itsproduction rapidly against a surge in demand for its motorcycles. Royal Enfield is a leadingplayer in the global middleweight motorcycle market.

Royal Enfield North America (RENA) is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and isdeveloping a growing network of more than 90 dealers in North America, including the U.S.,Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. RENA currently offers the Bullet 500, Classic 500, Himalayan and the all new 650 Twins: INT 650 and Continental GT 650 motorcycles along with a range ofgenuine motorcycle accessories and apparel.

For more information on Royal Enfield North America, please visit

www.RoyalEnfield.com/us/en/​, ​www.Instagram.com/RoyalEnfield_NA​,www.Facebook.com/RoyalEnfieldNorthAmerica​.