TJC will be hosting the bicycle tour “Beauty & the Beast”on March 17. This is an event that will help raise money for TJC Promise Scholarships. The tour will take place at Bullard High School, and you can sign up now with the early admission special, which is $40.
Registration and early bird breakfast will start at 6:30 a.m. The official start time is 9 a.m. Lunch will be served from noon to 2 p.m. and the course will close at 3 p.m.
Rob Springer is the Director of annual-giving. He focuses on getting the study body, faculty and the community to fund scholarships for future TJC students.
Springer spoke about the event’s name. “That’s what the beauty and beast is.. The beauty of the Tyler east Texas terrain and the beast is really a very rare hill to ride your bike up that you can’t really find, so it’s very challenging.”
This all came about by the promise scholarship which is a very aggressive initiative, a 20 million dollar endowed scholarship that is held in perpetuating. This means the 20 million isn’t completely spent, but it is enough to fund scholarships for students.
The promise scholarship is specifically for freshman high school students in Tyler. They must sign up in the first semester of their freshman year in high school. Then, they must follow a set of rules.
“I heard a superintendent from Lindale describe it great..” Said Springer, before mentioning the ‘Three G’s’. “Giving back to the community, there’s a certain number of community service hours every year that they’re required to meet.. Good grades, they must maintain at least a 2.5 average.. Good attendance, they cannot have more than ten un excused absences into their sophomore year.”
The ride is expected to receive an estimated number of 500 to 1,000 people. Last year about 400 people attended.
There will be 4 separate routes, all going up the mile-long ‘beast’ incline. Each route can range from 12 to 64 miles long. There will be rest stops at every 15 miles, these rest stops will help riders re-hydrate on their journey.
Any TJC student or faculty can contact Mr. Springer to reserve one of the 20 free admission spots. His email is rspr@tjc.edu.
