Teachers Race, Advocate for Boys Town

Two Boys Town Nebraska/Iowa teachers took the idea of advocacy up a few notches when they geared up and biked 111 miles for the 29th annual El Tour de Tucson race on November 19.

The race helped combine two activities the teachers are most passionate about: cycling and helping children. Marco Bravo, a Boys Town Spanish teacher, first thought of entering the competition this summer, but first, he needed a team. He approached his brother, Claudio Bravo, and Boys Town Assistant Family-Teacher Stuart Newman for help. Through social networking, they soon gathered five more bikers, many of them teachers. 

In the meantime, Marco set off to design an official team jersey. It wasn’t long before he had the idea to add the Boys Town logo and compete in the race while promoting health and advocating the Boys Town mission. 

“I contacted Father [Steven] Boes and told him that I would love to have a Boys Town logo on our jersey,” Marco said. “I thought it would be great free advertisement at such a huge event with more than 9,000 participants. Although only myself and Stuart worked at Boys Town, all of the other team members were pumped to wear the jersey after we talked about what Boys Town does to help students.”

During the race, at least a dozen people questioned and congratulated the team members about working for Boys Town. 

“I had an interaction with a man that asked me if I worked there,” Marco said. “I told him ‘Yeah,’ and he immediately said ‘You’re a good man.’ I asked him how he knew about Boys Town and he said ‘Who doesn’t know about Boys Town?’ I thought that was pretty powerful.”

Marco is enormously grateful to represent Boys Town and spread the word about the organization’s work in saving children and healing families. 

“I think it is extremely important to be proud of the organization you work for,” he said. “Not only does it help you make it through the day, but it also gives you a purpose of knowing why you spend eight hours a day doing what you are doing.”

The race also provided many teaching moments for Marco to talk to his students about committing to goals and working together. He brought in the medal he won for completing the race to his class, relating his journey to his students’ dreams for the future. 

“I told them it was hard and I didn’t give up, just like they shouldn’t give up on their goals, however big or small they are,” he said. “It’s a long ride to the finish, without short-cuts, and you have to take care of yourself along the way in order to finish, but if get help from your friends and family and keep pedaling, you will eventually finish and accomplish something that seemed so far away.”