A matter of determination
Lower Wolfville man determined to help adult learners by biking around Nova Scotia’s coast
John Smith wants to help adults furthering their education overcome financial hardship by cycling around Nova Scotia’s coastline.
Smith, student services manager at the Kingstec and Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) campuses, said he had some time off this summer and decided to do something special and challenging: bike around the province’s coastline.
The Lower Wolfville man said he’s been biking since he was a kid, but got serious about cycling only last year.
“Just at the end of last year my wife bought me a bike. I got into it and got a bit of a bug for it,” Smith said. “I’m learning as I go and got lots of good advice from people. It’s going well.”
He told some friends about his plan and they asked if he was going to be fundraising as part of the trip. This started him thinking about using the adventure to raise funds for a good cause.
Smith started conversations with the NSCC Foundation, which is dedicated to helping students in financial need and improving access to education, and the dean of the NSCC’s School of Access. He learned that there is a need for bursaries for Adult Learning Program (ALP) students.
Smith decided to call the initiative “The Determination Ride” and collect donations to establish an annual bursary for ALP students furthering their education
with the NSCC. These students often face financial constraints or are challenged juggling family and job responsibilities with their studies.
He has worked with the college for eight years and ALP students never fail to inspire him with “the grit and determination that they all show.
“I guess I’m inspired by that type of human response to adversity or challenges,” Smith said.
He also drew inspiration from his mother-in-law, who is now deceased. She was a teacher and
Smith said they had many conversations over the years about the importance of the community college system supporting students who faced challenges in high school and returned to further their education as adults.
Smith started the ride in Wolfville, Aug. 14 and headed east. It’s approximately 3,400 km around Nova Scotia’s coast and he plans to average 80 to 90 km a day. It will take 35 to 40 days to complete the ride.
He has raised about 20 per cent of the $25,000 fundraising goal. If
the goal can be reached, it will facilitate the establishment of The Determination Award: a $1,000 annual bursary available to students across the province. The bursary will be awarded to students who have financial needs and who have demonstrated commitment to furthering education.
For more information on the ride or to make an online donation, visit https://support.nscc.ca/DeterminationRide or The Determination Ride Facebook page.