8 February 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – A Topeka teacher is helping his students one wheel at a time.
The afterschool unicycle program at McEachron Elementary is bringing out the best in the Mustang students. However the club didn’t start out this way.
“It started with a kid that was in trouble in my office, and he saw a picture of me on the wall riding a six-foot unicycle, and he said ‘hey uh that sure would be cool to do Mr. Williams.’ I’m like ‘hey you can do it,’ so I just said, ‘hey’ and got to rethinking about it,” McEachron principal Victor Williams said.
Williams turned those thoughts into actions. He applied for a grant through the Topeka Public Schools Foundation and Blue Cross Blue Shield. To his surprise, 24 new unicycles showed up at the school. The goal of the program, to empower his students to know, to do, to be, the best.
“Its a club where you never give up, and you keep trying and trying until you get it,” 3rd grade student Jakob Henderson said.
Williams has his 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students in the afterschool program. One the kids can ride on their own, they get to mentor the other kids.
“The cool thing is now when I have to talk to kids, I’ve already developed a working relationship with them, that is probably my most awesome thing. They also have to not get in trouble when they’re in unicycle class, and a mentor. I want them to know, to do, to be, the best so they can teach other kids the same thing,” Williams said.
Williams started the club about six years ago, with 24 original unicycles, and now he gets new shipments from time to time. The students get to travel to different events and schools to show off their one wheel talent.
Principal Williams says its all about letting kids know, they can achieve anything they put their mind to.