Zaineb

Today we helped out at a lively field day at Samuel Adams elementary school in East Boston complete with tug-of-war and water balloon tosses in beautiful Piers Park. The highlight was talking to Zaineb, the Ultimate D2F Champion at Samuel Adams. First I asked her what kind of name Zaineb was because I thought it was so beautiful and unusual (at least to me). She sweetly informed me that it's Moroccan. As I was giving her the fancy certificate and pair of Boston Museum of Science passes that comes with the honor of having participated every single possible month and earning the most points in her school, I asked her what she liked about the Drive 2 Fitness. "Well, before I would just go home and eat something in front of the TV and this sort of gives me a schedule." She went on, "when you first came I didn't really want to do it, but my mom said I should try but now I really like it!" As she left the field day, I watched as she excitedly showed off her certificate and pointed to the two Museum of Science passes with a huge smile on her face.

A Full & Wonderful Day!

Ellis - Haley - Emerson! We were all over the city today but I want to focus on this morning for this post.

Waylon, Young, Caroline (three amazing interns), and I spent the morning at Ellis Elementary in Roxbury helping out with their Field Day! Young and Caroline manned the bouncy castle, I manned the hula hoop station and judged the competitions (and participated!), and Waylon worked the Basketball shooting station! I had the opportunity to chat with many wonderful students at Ellis but here was my favorite conversation:

Melvin: Hey, I won a cool prize from the Drive 2 Fitness. I'm one of the best participants in my class!

Ann (Me): Oh yeah? What'd you win?

Melvin: A 100-point certificate and a folder with scorecards that I have to fill out this summer!

Me: Well, you don't have to fill out the scorecards this summer - only if you want to.

Melvin: Well, I want to!

Me: Cool. Why's that?

Melvin: Because you get cool prizes and plus, I have to work on eating healthier anyway. That's why I'm chubby.

Me: I'm so glad you like it!

Melvin: Yeah, my dad and I are trying to be really healthy. He goes running every morning and to the gym at night.

Me: Cool.

Melvin: And he makes me a big salad for dinner with meat that's... I don't know how to say that in English...

Me: Say it in Spanish. I speak Spanish.

Melvin: Sin grasa.

Me: Without fat or lean.

Melvin: yeah, without fat.

Me: So does your dad do the Drive 2 Fitness with you?

Melvin: Yeah, he helps me a lot.

This is why we do what we do. For kids like Melvin.

From left to right: Ann (Me), Young, Melvin, and below Eliana.

End of the Year Celebrations Have Begun!

Today we started our End of the Year Celebrations! Here's part of what we did today at Emerson Elementary in Roxbury - talking about Sugar-Added Drinks and handing out yummy unsweetened crimsonberry iced tea!