B-360 Recognized For Working With Young Riders To Transform Baltimore's Dirt Bike Culture
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A local organization was recognized Friday by Mayor Brandon Scott for the work it is doing with young riders to transform dirt bike culture in Baltimore.
B-360 is celebrating its fifth anniversary of using STEM education, career preparation and other resources to give the city's youth and young adults opportunities for advancement.
Now the group is embarking on a capital campaign to establish a permanent dirt bike park and campus within the city, so that young people have a place to ride and grow.
"Where we are, it's impossible to make an impact if we don't have a safe space," B-360 founder and CEO Brittany Young said. "When we look at a skatepark in Baltimore, when we look at bike lanes, if you want to play basketball, you have a place to go. For riders, we really don't have it."
Young, an engineer by trade, grew up watching people ride dirt bikes at Druid Hill Park. These days, she and a group of trainers use the bike as an educational tool to teach young people the fundamentals of science and engineering.
Since B-360 was founded in 2017, it has worked with more than 7,000 students. Besides giving young people the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed, the organization wants to provide a safe space to ride in peace.
To accomplish that, the organization wants to raise $10 million to build a campus, complete with an indoor and outdoor riding course, along with classrooms and an auto body shop where riders can apply their skills.
The campus would be the first of its kind and a venue to show off riders' budding talents.
"Really the best of recreation and the best of education all under one hub," Young said.
For young riders like Treasure Tremble, that campus cannot come soon enough. She grew up riding ATVs with her family, and when she heard about B-360, she wanted to sign up.
"It feels like freedom, almost," Tremble said. "The wind in your hair, against your face is amazing, especially when you're riding with other people."
Having a dedicated space, she said, would allow her and her peers to pursue their passions without the risks and dangers that come with riding on the road.
"We need a place where we can go and feel safe and express ourselves when we're riding dirt bikes," she said. "This is something that kids in Baltimore enjoy, but riding on the streets and stuff isn't always safe."
To learn more about B-360, visit the organization's website.
