Want to get the captivated attention of a gym full of middle schoolers? All you need, it seems, is a big ramp and a few people capable of doing backflips off it.

Last Tuesday, three gravity-defying members of the “BMX Freestylers” delighted the entirety of Kickemuit Middle School with an assembly unlike any they’d seen before — delivered with the intent to raise awareness for the school’s Best Buddies program and about the harm of bullying in the hopes to promote better relations between students.

The adrenaline-filled afternoon was the result of an effort brought forth by a KMS student for whom the topic of bullying had unfortunately been more than just a hypothetical talking point.

Eighth grade student and KMS Best Buddies member Adriano Coelho was diagnosed with apraxia at the age of two, which affects the ability for the brain to deliver the correct signals to the body. This can result in various physical manifestations, but in his case, it results in a vocal stutter, which all too often became an easy target for bullying throughout his adolescent years.

But according to Adriano’s father, Chris, he was determined to turn the negative situation into something positive.

Adriano and his father share a love for all things Pokemon. They decided that they wanted to raise money through an up-and-coming app-based online marketplace, WhatNot, where people live stream an event and welcome in users, who can bid on and purchase merchandise. It is becoming an increasingly popular platform for enthusiasts of various collectible items, and Pokemon very much falls into that category.

They held the live auction in January, selling a bunch of rare Pokemon cards and collectors items, raising a whopping $3,000 in one, eight-hour stream.
That was enough to book the thrilling experience from BMX Freestylers, who are based out of California but take their show on the road throughout the United States. The riders, who said it was their first show in Rhode Island, said the feeling inside KMS was unlike any show they’d done prior.

“The energy was just crazy inside,” said Andre Tostell, who delivered the anti-bullying message in between thrilling tricks from his two BMX teammates, Aaron Simone and Don Todd.

They were right, too. After the raucous event, numerous students approached Coelho to tell him how cool the show was, and Adriano’s father, Chris, reminded his son that every student in the school — the first time the entire school was brought together for an event since COVID started — was brought together because of his efforts.

“You can always make your mark in the world,” he said.

The experience, and Adriano’s efforts, was something that Bonnie Pansa, Best Buddies Advisor and 8th Grade Resource Teacher at KMS, wouldn’t soon forget.

“Adriano is a very kind, quiet and unassuming young man. The bullying he experienced in his younger years profoundly affected him so much so he courageously put himself out there to tell his story and raise money to bring awareness,” she said. “Even after all that he is done, Adriano does not realize how much he has accomplished. He has taken all of the pats on the back and congratulations with a shy smile and slight wave. I know that Adriano is not only going to accomplish so much in his life, but like his dad, will always have the desire to give back to others.”