Hillsborough teachers named 70 millionth Giant Dipper riders

The two lead a summer camp, Bouncin’ ‘Round the Bay, which takes incoming sixth through eighth graders in Hillsborough, Burlingame and San Mateo schools around the Bay Area on a field trip every day for two weeks. 

With a combined 50 years of teaching experience between the two of them, Carroll and Collins know how to keep kids entertained. 

“We created this camp with fun being the underlying objective for the kids, and Ryan [Carroll] and I embody that. We try to on a daily basis when we have the camp going,” Collins said. 

The camp is focused on “old school fun,” Collins said, and on June 30, Carroll and Collins got to experience that feeling themselves when the two were recognized as the 70 millionth riders of the Giant Dipper, a 102-year-old ride. 

While some of the kids jammed ahead to get in line for the roller coaster shortly after it opened that Tuesday morning, Carroll and Collins lined up further behind, when a handful of Boardwalk staff came up to the duo and gave them the news. 

“They said ‘We’re not 100% sure which one of you is the 70th, but it looks like you know each other, so would you be willing to be recognized, the two of you as the 70 millionth?’” Collins said. “We’re ‘down for anything’ kind of guys. So we said ‘of course.’ We love this ride, this is what we’re all about.” 

Staff and riders in line cheered the pair on as they took the front seats on the Giant Dipper and rode with Boardwalk CEO Karl Rice before receiving gift bags full of Santa Cruz swag and memorabilia. 

“I think it’s appropriate — kids call me Mr. Carroll, they call him Mr. Collins. For them to see both of us and ask if we wanted to both be the 70 millionth rider, it just makes sense,” Collins said, laughing. “If you know us, it just kind of made sense.” 

The camp has gone to the Boardwalk each summer for the last nine years, Collins said. While every field trip the kids go on exposes them to a cool part of their region, experiences like what the teachers enjoyed at the amusement park reminds the camp leaders about the value of some “old school fun” as well. 

After exiting the ride when Collins and Carroll told the kids in their camp what happened, some were in disbelief. 

“Immediately after getting off, a bunch of kids were there and we told them the story and they were like ‘No way, that can’t be true, that sounds made up,’ so we had to break out the baskets and show them proof,” Collins said. 

Others said it made complete sense. 

“If this would happen to anyone, it would be them,” Collins recalled one of the kids saying. 

The lucky chance of being a milestone rider on an iconic Santa Cruz roller coaster felt aligned with the overall mission of Bouncin’ Round the Bay, Collins said. There’s always a possibility for a new memory.

“We love being outdoors, we love local history, we love sharing funds with the kids,” Collins said. “It’s all outside and doesn’t involve screens, it doesn’t involve technology. It’s all about classic, old school fun.”