Ranked as one of the poorest states in America,Louisiana is often struck by coastal storms and hurricanes.The sky-high poverty and crime rates are destructive for residents—especially for young people.Despite the unfavorable situation,there is a spirit of survival and hope for people living in Baton Rouge. "We choose to live by joy and community more than look at horrible issues and challenges that sometimes feel too big for us to take on," said Dustin La Font,whose nonprofit,F(xiàn)ront Yard Bikes,supports hundreds of students in Baton Rouge,Louisiana,every year as they pedal towards a brighter future.
At Front Yard Bikes,students work to build their own bicycle,learning skills like mechanics,welding and cycling safety,while receiving mentoring,academic support,and job training opportunities.
"We had to put a ton of energy and love into it,'' La Font said. "Students learned to saw,drill,measure,cut.They learned to paint,design,and plan.And they built their own program from scratch.Our mission is to create safe spaces that empower our kids to learn about their intrinsic worth as they learn,grow,and build."
Many kids now gather after school in this safe place to ride,play,and help out in the garden. "Pretty much any kid can find a place here to belong," La Font said. "For the fact that they built their park,there's ownership over it.They take care of their park."
Front Yard Bikes serves nearly 400 young people a year.To date,50 students have been certified in mechanics,and 2,000 kids have benefited from the program.
"People say to me, 'Thank you for keeping kids busy and out of the streets'," La Font said. "I don't like that because it says kids are the problems to be solved.But they are our greatest resource for our community challenges;they are problem solvers,not trouble makers.My constant fight is trying to get people to see who our kids really are ...and to see that they have something to offer right now."
(1)How do people in Baton Rouge feel about their life?
B
B
A.Desperate.
B.Hopeful.
C.Over-stressed.
D.Satisfied.
(2)What do we learn about Front Yard Bikes from paragraph 4?
A
A
A.It is energy-consuming.
B.It brings money for kids.
C.It builds a sense of competition.
D.It frees kids from worries about school-life.
(3)Why do kids find a sense of belonging in the garden?
A
A
A.They created the garden themselves.
B.They are well protected in the garden.
C.They find the garden similar to their home.
D.They receive good education in the garden.
(4)What role do kids play in the community according to La Font?
D
D
A.They serve as part-time workers.
B.They bring about many problems.
C.They fall victim to violence and poverty.
D.They are helpful in the face of challenges.