Park City Mountain Bike Team Initiative: Advancing Sustainable Development Goals Through Inclusive Sports

Executive Summary: Promoting Inclusion and Well-being

The Park City Schools Mountain Bike Team has implemented a strategic initiative to enhance diversity and inclusion, directly addressing several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By removing financial and social barriers for Latino and low-income students, the program serves as a model for community-level action in promoting SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 4 (Quality Education). The initiative focuses on ensuring that participation in school sports reflects the community’s diversity, thereby fostering a more equitable and supportive environment for all students.

Strategic Actions to Reduce Inequalities (SDG 10)

The team’s core mission is to reduce inequalities by ensuring equal opportunity for all students, irrespective of their ethnic or economic background. This directly aligns with SDG 10, which aims to empower and promote the social and economic inclusion of all.

• Initial Challenge: Latino students, such as former captain Victoria Rosales, reported feeling intimidated to join sports due to a lack of representation.
• Core Value: The team established inclusion as a foundational principle, moving beyond competitive tryouts to an open-participation model.
• Primary Goal: A key objective was to align the percentage of Latino students on the team with the demographic representation in the Park City community.

To achieve this, the team undertook several targeted actions:

1. Proactive Recruitment: Coaches, including Pete Stoughton, actively recruited students from diverse groups, such as the Latinos in Action class.
2. Financial Barrier Removal: Recognizing the prohibitive cost of participation (estimated at $1,000 per student), the team established a robust financial assistance program.
3. Leadership Development: The program successfully nurtured leadership among new participants, with Victoria Rosales and Kenia Ramirez both serving as team captains.

Fostering Health, Education, and Empowerment (SDG 3, 4, & 5)

The program’s impact extends beyond athletic participation, contributing significantly to the holistic development of its members.

• Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3): The team provides a platform for physical activity and fosters a strong sense of community and family, which enhances mental and social well-being.
• Quality Education (SDG 4): Participants develop crucial life skills. Kenia Ramirez noted that the team gave her the strength to persevere through academic and personal challenges. This development of resilience and leadership complements formal education.
• Gender Equality (SDG 5): By highlighting the leadership of female captains Victoria Rosales and Kenia Ramirez, the program demonstrates a commitment to empowering young women in sports.

Partnerships and Financial Sustainability (SDG 17 & 1)

Addressing the financial barriers to participation, which relates to SDG 1 (No Poverty), was made possible through strategic collaborations, underscoring the importance of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Key funding and support mechanisms include:

• The Trek Pathfinder Scholarship, in partnership with the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA).
• Funds raised from the community-based Park City Bike Swap.
• Grants from the Park City Community Foundation’s Live PC Give PC initiative.
• Support from Youth Sports Alliance and other private grants.

Measurable Impact and Future Directives

The initiative has yielded significant and measurable results in advancing its inclusion goals.

• The number of Latino athletes on the team has more than doubled to 16.
• A total of 21 low-income athletes receive support, 16 of whom are Latino.
• High retention rates among assisted athletes demonstrate the program’s success in creating a comfortable and welcoming environment.

Looking forward, the team aims to further strengthen its alignment with SDG 10 by recruiting a Latino coach to enhance community outreach and provide relatable mentorship.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article connects participation in the mountain bike team to personal development and resilience. Kenia Ramirez states that the team has given her “strength to persevere through challenges in sports, school and in life,” which directly relates to promoting mental health and well-being through physical activity and community.
2. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • The initiative is a school-based sports program aimed at providing inclusive and equitable opportunities. The recruitment from a “Latinos in Action” class and the focus on making the team accessible to all students, regardless of their background, supports the goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, which extends to extracurricular activities.
3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • This is the most central SDG in the article. The entire initiative is focused on reducing inequalities by actively recruiting and supporting Latino and low-income students. The article highlights the initial intimidation Victoria Rosales felt due to a lack of diversity (“not seeing other Latino kids”) and the team’s explicit goal “to really increase our low income families and the people of color in the team.”
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The article explicitly mentions several partnerships formed to achieve the team’s inclusion goals. These include collaborations with the “Trek Pathfinder Scholarship,” the “National Interscholastic Cycling Association,” funds from the “Park City Bike Swap,” and grants from the “Park City Community Foundation’s Live PC Give PC fundraiser.” These partnerships are crucial for providing the financial assistance needed to overcome economic barriers.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
   • The article supports the “promote mental health and well-being” aspect of this target. Kenia Ramirez’s testimony about the team giving her “strength to persevere through challenges” and becoming a “family that helps her celebrate her cultural heritage” demonstrates the positive impact on mental and emotional well-being.
2. Target 4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations.
   • The team’s efforts to recruit and financially support “low income families and the people of color” directly address this target by ensuring equal access to a school-based extracurricular activity for vulnerable student groups.
3. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
   • The program’s core mission is the social inclusion of Latino and low-income students. By removing financial barriers and actively recruiting from underrepresented groups, the team empowers these students to participate fully, as evidenced by Victoria Rosales and Kenia Ramirez becoming team captains.
4. Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard.
   • The team’s proactive policies, such as targeted recruitment, providing financial assistance, and setting a goal for representation (“ensuring the percentage of Latino students on the team was equal to that of the community”), are direct actions to ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome.
5. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
   • The article details a multi-stakeholder partnership model. The team collaborates with private companies (Trek), non-profit organizations (National Interscholastic Cycling Association), community fundraisers (Park City Bike Swap, Live PC Give PC), and foundations (Park City Community Foundation) to achieve its goals.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Quantitative Indicators:
   • Participation numbers of target groups: The article states, “the team now has 16 Latino athletes, that’s more than double the previous year.” This is a direct measure of progress in inclusion.
   • Proportion of participants from target groups: The article mentions a goal of “ensuring the percentage of Latino students on the team was equal to that of the community.” This serves as a clear benchmark for success.
   • Number of students receiving financial aid: The article states, “Of the team’s 21 low-income athletes, 16 are Latino,” indicating the number of students who are being supported financially.
   • Cost of participation: The article quantifies the financial barrier, stating the cost “adds up to about $1,000 per student,” which can be used as a baseline to measure the impact of financial aid.
2. Qualitative and Implied Indicators:
   • Leadership roles held by members of target groups: The article highlights that both Victoria Rosales and Kenia Ramirez, two Latina students who joined through the inclusion initiative, have served as team captain. This indicates successful integration and empowerment.
   • Existence and number of partnerships: The mention of specific partnerships with Trek, NICA, and local foundations serves as an indicator of the resources mobilized to support the goal (relevant to SDG 17).
   • Testimonials on well-being and empowerment: Statements like Kenia Ramirez’s about gaining “strength to persevere” and feeling “really happy” about the financial help serve as qualitative indicators of the program’s impact on well-being (SDG 3) and empowerment (SDG 10).

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: kpcw.org