Dixon School Receives 18 Bikes and Cycling Curriculum to Aid Student Focus

Thomas J. Dempsey School in Dixon now has 18 bicycles and a structured cycling program designed to help students improve focus and confidence. The school received the equipment and curriculum through a grant from Outride, a California nonprofit founded by Specialized Bikes. The program, known as Riding for Focus, is active in nearly 400 schools across the United States and Canada. The grant included helmets, a full teaching curriculum, teacher training, and tools to evaluate student progress.

Dixon Public Schools Superintendent Melydi Huyett visited the school on Friday to observe the new initiative. She joined students as they practiced riding around plastic cones on a concrete pad. Principal Janine Huffman said she was surprised by the scientific evidence linking cycling to improved brain function. She noted that the activity helps students pay closer attention, which was the focus of the lesson observed by the superintendent.

Dwight Hill, the physical education teacher implementing the program, explained that the goal is to move students from screens to trails. Hill traveled to California in July to receive training on the six-week curriculum. He also toured the Specialized Bikes facility and studied research on how cycling affects brain health. Hill stated that cycling combines aerobic exercise, balance, and decision-making, making it beneficial for cognitive development.

Hill cited Outride’s internal studies, which show that cycling promotes brain cell growth and strengthens neural connections. The research indicates that the practice increases the size of a brain region critical for learning and memory. Hill added that even a single ride can improve focus, reaction time, and mood. He said the program is particularly well-suited for the student population at Dempsey School.

Outride selected the school because of its unique setting and student demographics. Hill said the school serves as a potential model that could positively impact more students than the vast majority of other participating schools. Dempsey is a therapeutic day school for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. It provides special education services to children who face severe behavioral or emotional challenges in traditional home schools. The institution opened in August 2024.

Hill aims to reduce or eliminate the need for prescription medication by teaching students to self-regulate through physical activity. He began the program with older students during the start of the 2026-27 school year. Huffman noted that the group included both experienced riders and students who had never ridden a bike before. The students assembled the bicycles after they arrived from Specialized. They also built obstacles for the course, including log overs and a start ramp.

The outdoor lessons will continue until snow makes the ground too slick for riding. Hill hopes to take the students to Lowell Park for longer rides near the end of the school year. The grant is ongoing, allowing the school to apply for additional bikes. Hill is already working on that application. Parents can also purchase a bike for their child at a discounted rate from Specialized when the student graduates or leaves the school.

Hill was recently asked to return to California in the summer of 2027 to serve as an instructor for the Outride program. This role will allow him to teach other educators about the curriculum and its implementation in therapeutic settings.