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West Valley City Journal

Ron McBride’s impact plan for Wasatch Front schools

May 09, 2018 04:41PM ● By Jessica Ivins

David James, member of board of directors for Ron McBride Foundation, Dr. David M. Compton, Ron McBride, Koki Cline, and Andrea Miller at Granite Foundation Building. (Jessica Ivins/City Journals)

By Jessica Ivins | [email protected]

The Ron McBride Foundation is joining forces with the Granite Education Foundation for the benefit of Utah children. The Ron McBride Foundation will be working with Salt Lake, Ogden, Granite, and Jordan School Districts.

“We want to be involved in your problems and take an active role,” said Ron McBride, co-founder of the non-profit organization and former Utes and Weber State football coach. “I have seen education problems in every place I have been. I have seen prejudice problems, bullying, and children that do not get equal opportunities. We need to reach the kids at a younger age.”

Dr. David M. Compton, the Ron McBride Foundation’s executive director said, “Mac has a passion for being an agent for change and it is contagious.”

McBride spoke on March 27 and 28, at the Granite Education Foundation Building where his foundation approached schools to partner and address issues facing education. The meeting had members of the Granite Education Foundation attending as well as other education advocates.

Andrea Miller was one of those advocates. She is Granite School’s social work coordinator and oversees 55 social workers throughout Granite School District. She has seen what trauma can do to kids. Miller believes districts and communities that work together achieve better outcomes. 

Another advocate was Koki Cline, a school social worker who is on the front line when it comes to the fight for children’s well-being. Cline helps with suicide intervention and provides support to children that need to peel back the layers of trauma. He is dedicated to helping those children who have more than the average struggle.

Cline described the Adverse Childhood Experiences or ACE score that tallies a child’s abuse, neglect, and other hallmarks of a rough childhood. “A score of 5 or 6 out of 10 is high,” said Cline. These scores indicate that the child may be at risk of behavioral, physical or mental health problems.

Compton said barriers that children face in the schools include language, nutrition, sleep deprivations and physical capacities. Sleep deprivation leads to a decreased capacity to attend and less on-task behavior. A home with violence or trauma may affect a child’s mental and physical well-being. The McBride Foundation would like to help those children that have these barriers.

The solution is funding from the McBride Foundation. McBride would like to see his foundation reach a goal of $300,000. Last year McBride Foundation raised $150,000. They funded Bryant Middle School’s library renovation, made ACT prep courses available and gave scholarships to those in need.

“We want to change the paradigm, as well as the outcome,” Compton said.

Part of that change is the “Healthy Learners Paradigm.” The McBride Foundation will contribute a goal of $50,000 with the support of the schools to the well-being of children and their families.

Funds could be used to educate parents. A school may need behavior support for children’s needs. It all comes down to “Healthy Learners” and this is the feedback McBride and Compton have received from practitioners who report that health is a major factor in academic achievement. The underlying problems are the hard to fix issues in the home. The bottom line is to give kids the support that they need

The McBride Foundation supports several campaigns such as the School Resource Fund, the Game Changer Scholarship and the Love you Man Campaign.

The School Resource Fund is for library materials, fitness equipment, computer, musical equipment, copy machines, and laboratory supplies.

The Game Changer Scholarships has been a McBride classic over the past two years. The foundation will provide scholarships to students in need with partnership with the Calvary Baptist Church.

The MAFU (Mental toughness, positive Attitude, Fanatical effort, and Unity support) steps up when others have a problem or challenge. 

The Love You Man Campaign is McBride’s mantra. It is aimed at youth, teachers, parents and coaches to include all children to ward off bullying and alcohol and drug abuse.

McBride’s frontline speaker series will raise money for speaking engagements to tackle issues that teachers, counselors, parents and youth serving agencies face each day.

Those interested in supporting the Ron McBride Foundation can join the 3rd annual Love You Man Golf Tournament June 22 at Talons Cove Golf Course in Saratoga Springs. Contact [email protected].