Introducing “The History of BOKS”

09/06/17

Summer may be over – and while we’ll miss the warm weather, the BOKS team can’t help but be excited as it’s that time of year when our schools get their BOKS programs up and running. Whether you are at a new school starting BOKS for the first time, are just interested in learning more about the program, or you’ve been with BOKS from the beginning – we wanted to use the month of September as an opportunity to look back at how far BOKS has come since the founding of Fit Kidz Get Up and Go (fun fact: that was our original name!) through a social campaign we’re calling: The History of BOKS.

We’ve put together a timeline of our major milestones in our journey to reverse the physical inactivity pandemic and inserted memories from each team member here at HQ. Now we’d like to hear from you. As part of this walk down memory lane – we’d love it if you submitted your favorite BOKS memory to us. Which memory is your favorite? Was it witnessing a child’s transformation? Attending your first training? Helping a new school get up and running? Let us know and we’ll include your memory in our “History of BOKS” social media campaign. If you’d like to submit your story please email jess.garbarino@bokskids.org.

To kick off the “History of BOKS” we wanted to start with something that isn’t a memory or a milestone per se, but is just as important to our founding, and that’s the book by renowned psychiatrist John J. Ratey, MD. called Spark. Those of you who have met our founder Kathleen Tullie in person probably know that Spark is the inspiration for the BOKS program. If you haven’t read this book it’s the perfect time to do it (you can even download the audio and listen to it during your back to school commute). Spark isn’t just for parents or fitness enthusiasts, it’s for anyone who has had the desire to become the best version of themselves and how exercise can transform our brains to allow us to do just that.

Dr Ratey writes, “Exercise is the single most powerful tool you have to optimize your brain function.” And we couldn’t agree more! So thank you Dr. Ratey for your wisdom, inspiration and continued support – we wouldn’t be here without you!