YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND EVAN by Melzar and Laurie Coulter
Our son Evan struggled with classwork in Elementary and Middle School. We tried lots of options to keep him still and focused, and no amount of effort could get him to learn his “math facts.” It’s hard enough growing up and even more difficult when you know that you aren’t keeping up. Evan has a ton of other virtues though, just not the ones that get measured. He is the most empathetic and compassionate of our children, and excels in visual arts and working with his hands in general. Now as a Sophomore at Central High School he has a bright future, in no small part due to Norte. Evan began riding with Norte in Middle School, but his real connection was with the Norte Clubhouse. He enjoyed working on bikes and began learning from Ben Boyce and others. He liked it so much that he would take the bus from school to practice early so that he could work on bikes first. We believe his enthusiasm was fueled by the feelings of confidence, empowerment, and trust that were present there. In true Norte spirit, he would often commute by bicycle from our home in Acme to both practice and the trails in town. Evan worked in the shop at Brick Wheels last summer and continues to work occasionally during the school year. He continues his bike commuting habit back in the Clubhouse days, and even at 16 is in no hurry
to buy a car. Thanks to the skills and exposure to bike commuting from Norte, he already has the independence and freedom that a car would offer, but without the expense. Evan has a passion for messing around on (and with) bikes, but is more likely to be found shredding a downhill section than cross country racing. In fact, he can’t shed his shop rat tendencies even while racing. His chain broke during the Traverse City Trails Festival race, and he fixed it right on the course. Someone asked me if anyone helped him, and the truth is, there’s not many more qualified than Evan. He raced the Iceman last year and was later than we expected getting to the finish line — because he stopped many times to help other racers with mechanical problems. We are grateful that Norte has provided an opportunity for Evan's talents to be developed and appreciated, and that he has the skills and confidence to work at Brick Wheels. These are life lessons that will benefit him even if bicycling is no longer a big part of his life. ..... Evan Coulter currently sits on Norte's youth leadership council and is enrolled in the Precision Machining Program at the Career Tech Center with hopes to someday work for a bike component manufacturer. NORTE | 2019 ANNUAL REPORT
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