One-wheeled wonders performing at area schools

The Pleasant Valley Unicycle Team recently kicked off another round of performances across Clark County. The team, “All for One; One for All,” has entertained audiences for the past five years with stunts, group performances and acrobatics - all while riding unicycles.

The group is made up of 33 Pleasant Valley students from grades two through eight and has performed in front of the Portland Trail Blazers, multiple colleges and high schools throughout the region and on KGW Drew Carney’s Morning Show. The team’s first performances of the year was Jan. 22 at Prairie High School.

Area residents can watch the students during these upcoming basketball halftime performances:

• Wed., Jan. 29, 5:30 p.m., at Clark College, 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver

• Thurs., Jan. 30, 7 p.m., at Skyview High School, 1300 NW 139th St., Vancouver

• Wed., Feb. 5, 7 p.m., at Battle Ground High School, 300 W. Main St., Battle Ground

The unicycle team is an after-school program at the Battle Ground Public Schools’ Pleasant Valley campus directed by physical education teacher Paul White. White, who was recently named Washington State P.E. Teacher of the Year, started teaching a unicycle course in his P.E. classes for second, third and fourth graders just more than seven years ago. Students asked to continue learning the skill and the team was born.

“I use the unicycle lessons in class to teach the basic steps of riding, balance and the importance of perseverance in learning a new skill,” White said. “The team started with 12 students five years ago and now we are up to 33 students performing all over the area.”

For more information on the Pleasant Valley Unicycle Team, contact White at white.paul@battlegroundps.org or call (360) 885-5550. Watch a previous performance of the group on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBZ_Tb5Lt7I.