NYPUM: “Where the youth of America can realize their full potential through mentorship, team building and self-development. All while learning the skills to enjoy safe and exciting off-road riding.”
If you have attended one of the last few NOHVCC Annual Conferences, chances are you had the opportunity to hear directly from some of the organizers of the National Youth Project Using Minibikes (NYPUM). This outstanding organization is celebrating its 50th anniversary and has distributed a video celebrating its success.
From the NYPUM website: “National Youth Project Using Minibikes (NYPUM) and the California State Parks’ Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division have partnered to provide mentoring and education for urban youth through off-highway motorcycle recreation. Using the trail bike in the outdoors, NYPUM captures a young person’s imagination, enthusiasm and harnesses it to promote positive change and growth. Combined with possibly the largest off-highway riding area in the U.S., California youth get the chance to explore much more of the state they live in. For 50 years, NYPUM has worked nationally with community youth service organizations, including government, nonprofit, and faith-based groups, to help mentor youth using its time-tested mentoring program. For more information about the partnership, click here.”
Co-Created by American Honda Motor Co., Inc., NYPUM uses minibikes donated by Honda to serve an average of 1,200 youth per year. For more information about who NYPUM serves, view the presentations NYPUM officials made at NOHVCC’s 2019 Annual Conference here and here.
Longtime friend of NOHVCC, former Honda employee, California’s Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation (OHMVR) Commission Member and ardent supporter of NYPUM, Paul Slavik, said “I first became aware of NYPUM in the early 80s when I was a Honda representative in Indiana. For most of its existence it has been the best kept secret at Honda but that is changing. We now have a partnership with California State Parks to bring NYPUM youth to our State Vehicular Recreation Areas and introduce them to the joys of off-highway vehicle recreation as well as vocational and environmental education in the process. I am proud to be a part of the 50-year anniversary of the program and hope to see it expand to its full potential in California as well as on national scale.”
At a time when it is tougher than ever to get young people outdoors and involved in OHV recreation, NYPUM continues to grow and reach ever more kids, not only to get them interested in minibikes, but to use the machines as a way to engage them while teaching important life lessons. NYPUM stands as an example of how OHV enthusiasts throughout the Country can positively reach our youth. Here’s to 50 more years!
If you have any questions, please reach out to NOHVCC staff at trailhead@nohvcc.org.