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Schools

Wheels of Fortune

BMX rider tells students how biking helped him persevere.

Using  moves like the time machine, the hitchhiker, and the death truck, not to mention the cliffhanger, Spiderman and tornado spin, BMX champion Matt Wilhelm taught the seventh grade students at Fischer Middle School about perseverance, bullying and drug awareness.

Wilhelm, 32, has won two national titles, three medals from the X Games and a silver medal from the world championships. Last year he performed at more then 300 schools across the country delivering his inspirational messages.

"With my assemblies, I relate to the kids at their level, teaching them in a different way," Wilhelm said Friday. "While parents and teachers do a great job at reaching kids, I feel like I bring a certain 'cool' factor to it and entertain them while educating them."

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After eight years of practicing he qualified for the X Games, but the first year he competed he came in last place, Wilhelm said. Instead of letting it get him down and quitting, it made him even more determined.

The following year he went back and won his first medal. Wilhelm uses his experiences and determination to inspire the students to never to give up.

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"A few years ago I saw Matt perform at Still Middle School and thought his message was great," said Megan Hall, seventh-grade teacher at Fischer. "He's done so much good with his life and I think the kids really related to him." 

During the assembly Wilhelm performed tricks, gave out free DVDs and talked about his early years. His first year of riding BMX he had to deal with a bully. Calling on student volunteers from the crowd, he showed the kids how he dealt with the bully using his five bully F.A.C.T.S.:

  • Make friends
  • Avoid fighting
  • Be confident
  • Tell someone
  • Stay away

Wilhelm is also known as the world’s fastest BMX bike spinner, which helped him win the $25,000 grand prize on Fox TV’s talent show “30 Seconds to Fame.” He ended the show by performing that signature "tornado spin" and by jumping his bike over three Fischer teachers—Michelle Nalon, Jennifer Klen and Melissa Lullo.

"I loved his show and thought his tricks were really cool," said seventh-grader Jon Graf. "I liked his stories and he taught us never to give up."

Graff's classmate, Paige Filipek, agreed. 

"I liked how Matt shared his experiences and involved us in his show,"  Filipek said. "He taught us that if you keep following your dreams, and don't give up, anything can happen!"

  

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