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September 17, 2020

Work up a Sweat with the Fall Fitness Challenge

Has it been a little while since you took on one of those fitness challenges that were all the rage at the beginning of the pandemic? If you break a sweat for a good cause with the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Fall Fitness Challenge powered by Boston.com, you could win cool prizes like a Peleton bike, a WHOOP fitness tracker, or autographed Red Sox memorabilia from Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers. Teams will compete to engage in physical activity over the course of one week while also raising money for BOKS, a local organization that prioritizes getting kids away from screens and engaging in physical activity. Team registration for the challenge, which runs from Sept. 21-27, is now open via RaceMenu.

ANNOUNCING: Beethoven Elementary as BOKS’ Defenders of Physical Activity Program of the Year

Last year, BOKS announced the Defenders of Physical Activity Award to recognize exceptional programs across the country. This award is meant to highlight the trainers, parents, teachers, volunteers, and administrators that are dedicated to the physical and mental health of their students. All award recipients utilize BOKS in different ways, and all demonstrate their passion for the BOKS mission – to get kids active and establish a lifelong commitment to health and fitness.We are thrilled to recognize Beethoven Elementary School of West Roxbury, MA, as the BOKS Defenders of Physical Activity Program of the Year! Beethoven was one of our Fall 2019 award winners – watch highlights from their original award ceremony here. Trainers Lisa Garlington and Carolyn Sullivan go above and beyond to support and motivate their students. As a result, the students approach each BOKS class with positivity, enthusiasm, and an eagerness to get moving.

As a thank you for their commitment to BOKS, Beethoven will be receiving a $2500 grant to further support physical activity programming.

Congratulations to the staff and students of Beethoven and thank you for helping make physical activity and play a part of every child’s day!

 

BOKS ANNOUNCES $200K GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

Funds, training, and programmatic support bring equitable access to activity and play to more children in-need during COVID-19 and beyond 

(BOSTON) SEPTEMBER 9, 2020 — Today BOKS (Build Our Kids’ Success), an initiative of the Reebok Foundation, announced a $200,000 grant program that will support its efforts to provide equal access to physical activity and play to more children in underserved communities. This program will provide funds for schools and non-profit youth organizations in need, while allowing them the autonomy to use BOKS’ free curricula to get kids active and healthy in the method that works best for their current educational environment.

Children living in underserved communities face more barriers to sport and fitness. The implications of this are far-reaching when you consider the proven mental, physical and social benefits physical activity has on a person, no matter their age, background, or zip code. This grant program will allow BOKS to direct funding to kids who need it most  in those schools and youth organizations struggling to provide impactful physical activity programs during COVID-19 and beyond.

“At BOKS, we strive to be as helpful as possible to educators and parents alike when it comes to keeping kids active and healthy,” said Kathleen Tullie, senior director of social purpose at Reebok International and founder & executive director of BOKS. “This year, educators will face more challenges than ever before, and those working in under-funded communities will be the hardest hit, so we acted quickly to provide those in need with resources and support.” Tullie added, “It’s not just about physical health, our kids are at risk for increased mental health issues exacerbated by the stress of the pandemic. It’s important that we do what we can to help them stay active in this difficult time.”

The BOKS grant application can be found here and will be accepted on a rolling basis and will close on December 31, 2020 or when all funds have been disbursed, whichever is sooner. In addition:

  • Grants will be awarded in increments of $1,000, $2,000 or $3,000 per school, per academic year, based on the type of BOKS program implemented and the number of children impacted;
  • Schools, or non-profit youth organizations that apply must be enrolled in BOKS to be considered (Traditional BOKS, BOKS Bursts or both); (Link to enrollment form)
  • Schools or non-profit youth organizations must be located in the United States;
  • A minimum of 50% of the students at the school or non-profit youth organization must be eligible for free or reduced lunch program. Priority will be given to those with 75% or higher of students receiving free or reduced lunch.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and its resulting school closures, BOKS has overhauled the delivery of its program to adapt to various school environments. Whether teaching at-home, in-school, or with a hybrid model; BOKS’ free resources can be utilized by anyone looking to provide children with much-needed physical activity to stimulate the mental benefits of movement and play during this difficult time. Funds from the new grant platform will be used to support these efforts.

“Our partnership with BOKS has been instrumental in getting our students moving during the pandemic,” said Sara Elghobashy, senior vice president of external affairs, Mission Society of New York City. “By curating a series of fun, apartment-friendly activities for the Mission Society’s virtual summer program, BOKS ensured that physical fitness remained a priority for families, keeping them active and healthy at home.”

In addition to this new grant program, BOKS has evolved its “Defenders of Physical Activity Awards” for the current environment and will be recognizing one outstanding school or non-profit youth organization with a $10,000 award at the end of 2020. Understanding that this will be a school year like no other, this award was established to honor those teachers, youth counselors, and most importantly students, that are creatively using the BOKS program to keep their minds and bodies active during this time. For more information on nominating a “Defender of Physical Activity” that you know, visit www.bokskids.org.

 

Media Contacts                                                                       
Jess Garbarino, BOKS
jess.garbarino@bokskids.org

 

About BOKS

In today’s screen obsessed culture, kids are the least active generation in history. This sedentary lifestyle is negatively impacting both their physical, mental and social health. BOKS is a physical activity program designed to reverse this public health crisis by getting kids active and establishing a lifelong commitment to health and fitness. Built on the science and research documented in the book, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, BOKS provides free physical activity curriculum, training and support to communities looking to establish and maintain impactful fitness and nutrition programs serving the whole child. Having grown from a single elementary school to a global initiative, BOKS is scalable and its impact is supported by scientific research. BOKS envisions a world in which movement is a foundational part of every child’s day.  For more information about BOKS visit www.bokskids.org.

PANEL: Understanding and coping with your child’s mental health during Covid-19

At this point, we’ve all heard it a million times, “we are living in unprecedented times.” Covid-19 has impacted so many of us in so many different ways. Now, we are collectively facing back-to-school and determining if and how children will go back amidst this pandemic.

At BOKS, we are working to provide you with resources for all different school environments. We also wanted to take a moment to remind you that this has been a taxing experience on all of our mental health – particularly our children. Please feel free to check out our free virtual panel, “Understanding & coping with your child’s mental health during Covid-19,” which provides some helpful tips on supporting the children in your life during this tough time.

The panel featured the following physical and mental health experts:

  • Elsie Taveras, Pediatrician, Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and Mass General Hospital, Clinical Epidemiologist, and Childhood Obesity Researcher
  • Michelle Carter, Director of Educational Content and Programs, SHAPE America
  • Daniella Land, Co-Founder and CEO (WE Integrated)
  • Bo Shappell, Middle School PE Teacher, Co-Founder (WE Integrated)
  • Ken Duckworth, Chief Medical Officer for the National Alliance on Medical Illness (NAMI), Medical Director for Behavioral Health at BCBSMA, and Child and Adolescents Psychiatrist

THE CONSENSUS

Structure, physical activity, and support stand to significantly decrease the harmful mental health impacts of Covid-19 on kids. Parents and educators should be alert to changes in kids’ behaviors and should not hesitate to reach out for help. At the same time, free resources, including those shared by the panelists below, are widely available to serve the wellbeing of children. BOKS is thankful to be one of these resources, along with the indispensable insights and resources shared by the panelists. To learn more, you can watch the full panel, Understanding and coping with your child’s mental health during Covid-19 here.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AS DISCUSSED IN THE PANEL:

Resources from SHAPE:

In addition, if you want to support the mental health of those in need, BOKS’ partner Reebok has launched the “Keep It Clean” graphic tee, a fun reminder to wash your hands, the proceeds of which benefit the Benson-Henry Institute of Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Uniting Against Racism: A Note From Our Founder

To Our BOKS Community,

I want to reach out on behalf of the entire BOKS team and acknowledge the pain and suffering that so many in the Black community,  as well as all communities battling injustice, are experiencing in the United States and across the globe. BOKS would not exist without you. We pledge to stand with you and most importantly to listen to you as we attempt to do better for the next generation.

As an organization that reaches so many children across the country, we feel we have a particular responsibility to make change when it comes to the racism we continue to witness. We pledge to continue in our efforts to use sport and fitness to change lives and hope you’ll communicate with us as we formulate more plans to use these as tools to educate and inspire kids today.

We’d also like to acknowledge the confusion that all parents and family members are feeling right now. On top of the stress that kids are under due to Covid-19 and resulting school closures, parents are now tasked with explaining recent tragic events, race and privilege to kids of all ages. We will not pretend to have all the answers but we did want to offer you a number of resources to help talk to your kids during this time. Please find them below:

If you have any thoughts or questions you want to share with our team at this time please reach out to us. We are listening.

Best,

Kathleen Tullie,

Founder & Executive Director, BOKS

RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES & EDUCATORS:

 

The Conscious Kid (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/theconsciouskid/

Teaching kids about the complicated history of racism (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgluNlZxpfc&feature=youtu.be

How to Talk to Kids about Race and Racism, Parent Toolkit: https://www.parenttoolkit.com/social-and-emotional-development/advice/social-awareness/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-race-and-racism

Beyond the Golden Rule, A Parent’s Guide to Preventing and Responding to Prejudice: https://www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/general/beyond_golden_rule.pdf

Resources for Talking About Race and Racism with Children, by P.R.I.D.E. Team: https://www.racepride.pitt.edu/resources-talking-about-race-racism-children/

EmbraceRace.org, 10 tips for teaching and talking to kids about race (English and Spanish):

https://www.embracerace.org/assets/embraceracetipsenglish-(2).pdf

https://www.embracerace.org/assets/embraceracetipsspanish-(1).pdf

Why conversations about racism belong in the classroom, USC Rossier Online:

https://rossieronline.usc.edu/youth-and-racism/racism-in-the-classroom

May 2020 Defenders of Physical Activity Award – Tom Levett & Josiah Quincy

Announcing May’s Defenders of Physical Activity Award Winner: Tom Levett & The Josiah Quincy School

Matt O'Toole Reebok
Tom Levett and Reebok President Matt O’Toole

BOKS is on a mission; to get kids active and establish a lifelong commitment to health and fitness. In order to achieve this, we rely on the individuals who deliver our program and interact directly with students. We are fortunate that we work with people who use their inherent drive, dedication, and energy to help students remain active (regardless of the circumstances). This month we are recognizing one of these standout individuals, Tom Levett and his school community.

Tom and his co-lead trainer at Josiah Quincy Elementary, Mary McClerkin, both have a background in physical education and a love for movement. Their enthusiasm is contagious. The more than forty kids in their program are always smiling, having fun and moving!

Tom attributes his ability to lead successful BOKS classes to being a kid at heart. Tom told BOKS, “Sports and fitness have had a strong impact on me and I really enjoy sharing my passion with today’s youth.”

The entire community at the Josiah Quincy School speaks to the success of the students and their dedication to a healthy lifestyle. “The Josiah Quincy School is a wonderful community with dedicated staff and children… our kids are always excited to get into the building and get moving in a positive way,” Tom says. “BOKS has had a strong impact on our kids and is a great way to start our rigorous learning day. Teachers, parents, and kids all love it! They also understand the health benefits of being active.”

Reebok Kids
Lead Trainer Tom Levett and his BOKS class at Josiah Quincy Elementary

Since, COVID-19 and its resulting school closures the community, like so many others, has faced new challenges. Students have had to shift to virtual learning, have experienced a loss of routine, and are lacking social interaction with their peers.

The Josiah Quincy School and BOKS trainers continue to support their students. Tom streams live videos for two hours a day, helping his students stay active and delivering a sense of normalcy to an otherwise unpredictable circumstance. He has also contributed directly to BOKS’ larger audience, leading BOKS Facebook Live classes.

Despite feeling anxious and nervous prior to the Live classes, he feels a weight has been lifted off his shoulders once the classes start, and knows his students relate to him. “Kids can have this same feeling, especially during this unprecedented time… therefore staying active at home is extremely important and can definitely alleviate this unwanted stress on children.” Despite the challenges of COVID-19, the Josiah Quincy School and its lead trainers continue to uplift students within their community and beyond.

It is because of Tom, Mary, and Josiah Quincy School’s profound dedication to physical activity that their students have created a lifelong commitment to health and fitness that transcends extreme circumstances. Their passion for helping get kids active, their eagerness to assist students beyond their own, and their supreme dedication to the BOKS mission makes the Josiah Quincy School BOKS program more than deserving of the Defenders of Physical Activity Award.

Congratulations!

BOKS and Special Olympics Announce Partnership to Enhance Physical Activity for Children of All Abilities

BOKS deepens its commitment to inclusive movement for children and communities across the globe by enriching its curriculum with help from Special Olympics

BOSTON, MA, May 7, 2020 – BOKS, an initiative of the Reebok Foundation, and Special Olympics have announced a multi-year collaboration to enrich BOKS’ physical activity program with inclusive strategies for kids engaged in physical activity and fitness. This collaboration will allow both Special Olympics and BOKS to get more kids active and improve their physical and emotional well-being.

Globally, 16% of Special Olympics athletes 8-19 years old are obese and 15% are overweight. In the United States, 32% of Special Olympics athletes 8-19 years old are obese and 15% are overweight. The obesity rate of Special Olympics athletes in the US is nearly twice that of the obesity rate in the general population among children and adolescents of the same age. Due to a lack of training and knowledge of working with people with ID among health and fitness professionals, these children might be overlooked when it comes to having the opportunity for fitness and play. BOKS and Special Olympics have joined forces with a shared vision to get youth with and without intellectual disabilities (ID) more active and establish a lifelong commitment to health and fitness.

 

To celebrate this collaboration, Special Olympics athletes will join BOKS in its efforts to deliver at-home physical activity to families and kids during Covid-19. Join a LIVE workout on Facebook guest hosted by Special Olympics U.S. Youth Ambassadors Kyle Norman, Alex Keith, Myah Garrett, and Britney Bautista at 12 pm EST/9am PST.

Please visit https://www.facebook.com/boks/ to tune into live workouts on:

Thursday May 7 – Myah Garrett

Thursday May 14 – Kyle Norman

Thursday May 21 – Alex Keith

Thursday May 28 – Britney Bautista

Britney Bautista, Special Olympics United States Youth Ambassador shared her excitement for the new partnership, “Our partnership with BOKS allows more youth to have the chance to be physically active.  Inclusive physical activity opportunities are important to me because they can strengthen relationships with families, athletes and teammates.  Daily exercise can improve your energy level, help you stay more focused in school, and help build a more positive mindset.  The most important part of inclusion is allowing Special Olympics athletes to be in the spotlight and show his/her capabilities.  Everyone should be included and celebrated!”

Special Olympics U.S. Youth Ambassadors are a group of 23 youth leaders with and without intellectual disabilities who are striving to make the nation a more inclusive place for all. These youth leaders act as advocates, share stories, and demonstrate the values of inclusive youth leadership across the country.

BOKS provides a program based in functional fitness and play that anyone and everyone can engage in regardless of age or skill and is currently run in many different inclusive environments throughout the United States. Working together with Special Olympics, the team will offer this programming as an additional fitness opportunity in 7,600 Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® (SOUCS), especially the elementary schools. SOUCS is a program for schools Pre-K through university that intentionally promotes meaningful social inclusion by bringing together students with and without intellectual disabilities to create accepting school environments.

“It is an honor to be working with Special Olympics given its global impact and reach,” said Kathleen Tullie, executive director of the BOKS Program. “BOKS has always been a welcome space to anyone, but with the support of Special Olympics we can certify our programming is delivered in an even more prescribed manner.”

Special Olympics improves the fitness of athletes by providing tailored tools for individuals, families, and Special Olympics Programs. Physical activity, adequate nutrition and hydration enhance athletes’ performance and improve health and overall quality of life. By working with BOKS and incorporating facets of their movement skills and nutritional tidbits into what already exists, the two programs become even stronger together.

“We don’t have many fitness opportunities specifically targeted to elementary school students, outside of our Young Athletes program, which is an early childhood play program geared to children with and without intellectual disabilities aged 2-7 years old.” said Dr. Alicia Bazzano, Chief Health Officer, Special Olympics.  “By partnering with BOKS, we are continuing to expand the reach of our fitness and physical activity opportunities offered in schools to youth around the world and are able to reach their network of 5,500 schools with a curriculum that is more inclusive of all students.  This is a wonderful opportunity to encourage inclusion and get youth with and without intellectual disabilities moving and beginning a lifelong commitment to their health.”

To sign up to receive the full inclusive BOKS curricula enroll here:  https://activekids.org/enroll-school

 

ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Special Olympics is a global inclusion movement using sport, health, education and leadership programs every day around the world to end discrimination against and empower people with intellectual disabilities. Founded in 1968, Special Olympics movement has grown to more than 6 million athletes and Unified Sports partners in over 190 countries. With the support of more than 1 million coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics delivers 32 Olympic-type sports and over 100,000 games and competitions throughout the year. Special Olympics is supported by individuals, foundations and partners, including Bank of America, the Christmas Records Trust, The Coca-Cola Company, ESPN, Essilor Vision Foundation, the Golisano Foundation, IKEA Foundation, the Lane Family, the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, Lions Clubs International, Safilo Group, Stavros Niarchos Foundation, TOYOTA, United Airlines, and The Walt Disney Company. Click here for a full list of partners. Engage with us on: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and our blog on Medium. Learn more at www.SpecialOlympics.org

ABOUT BOKS: In today’s screen obsessed culture, kids are the least active generation in history. This sedentary lifestyle is negatively impacting both their physical and mental health. BOKS is a physical activity program designed to reverse this public health crisis by getting kids active and establishing a lifelong commitment to health and fitness. Built on the science and research documented in the book, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, BOKS provides free physical activity curriculum, training and support to communities looking to establish and maintain impactful fitness and nutrition programs serving the whole child. Having grown from a single elementary school to a global initiative, BOKS is scalable, and its impact is supported by scientific research. BOKS envisions a world in which movement is a foundational part of every child’s day. Follow us on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube. Learn more at www.bokskids.org.

 

 

 

BOKS Bursts for Seniors: Get Active & Have Fun At Home!

While people of all ages have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, the senior community has had to be particularly diligent when it comes to keeping themselves isolated to stay safe and healthy. Understanding that being physically active can help you stay healthy physically and BOKS Senior Burstsmentally, the BOKS team turned its attention to the senior community and today announced the availability of our BOKS Bursts for seniors: Download the 4 week curriculum here!

BOKS Bursts are short (1 to 10 minutes) and can be used at-home with little to no equipment; each week will incorporate movements that encourage flexibility, endurance, strength and balance. For this curriculum, we have made sure to include modifications for seniors of many different athletic and physical abilities.  Check out this video of our new curriculum and see one of our BURST activities in action:

 

During these uncertain times, we know everyone is missing their loved ones, we encourage you to connect virtually with your friends, kids or grandkids and challenge them to move with you!  Stay healthy! 

April Defenders of Physical Activity Award Winner: SaRah BoweRs!

Congratulations to Potter Road School and Lead Trainer, SaRah Bowers, for winning our  Defenders of Physical Activity award for the month of April!  SaRah has been involved with BOKS for 5 years and has proven to be a dedicated and enthusiastic lead trainer. SaRah’s dedication truly shined through when schools in her district were shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Rather than putting her BOKS class on hold, SaRah sprung into action and is now providing her Framingham BOKS Stars with live, virtual BOKS classes!

SaRah Bowers
Lead Trainer, SaRah Bowers

The Potter Road School is fortunate to have amazing BOKS volunteers, like SaRah, to help run the program twice a year.  SaRah is known for being goofy and making sure her 60 students start their days with a smile and some positivity. She goes above and beyond the Lead Trainer job description – like when she dressed up in a full Grinch costume and created a holiday “How the Grinch Stole our Workout” lesson plan. SaRah is an exemplary Lead Trainer who dedicates her days to getting kids from kindergarten to fifth grade active – that is no easy feat!

The BOKS team got a chance to speak with SaRah about her program and since we couldn’t all be together for an award ceremony, we created a video from the Framingham Community to honor SaRah! Watch the video here:

BOKS: In your Defender of Physical Activity Nomination, you mentioned the “side effects” of BOKS, can you share more about that?

SB: Our BOKS kids come from all different backgrounds, but they all get to start their day on a positive note.  Kids who may need some support are getting it from BOKS and they are starting their day energized.  It’s selfish, but I get so much joy seeing them smile after a BOKS class or when they see me wearing a funny wig with my face painted.

BOKS: During these uncertain times, you chose to not “hang up” your BOKS Lead Trainer shirt. Instead, you continued to dedicate your time to getting kids moving even if that meant virtually. How has the response to your Framingham BOKS Stars Live Workouts been so far?

SB: It’s been really great.  I told my husband that I will keep doing this as long as one kid shows up. If one kids shows up, I will get up, rearrange my house and workout with them.  I’ve seen a lot of my regulars show up during the live workouts, but I also love seeing the kids that come on later in the day to workout and replay the video.  I love asking them what they want to see or what they want to learn; I know it’s not the typical BOKS program, but I want to keep them moving and engaged.

BOKS: If you had to name one thing, what do you love most about your BOKS program?

SB: The spirit of the kids.  The kids haven’t given up even during these uncertain times.  The perseverance of the students is going to make for a pretty great future.

We are so appreciative of you, SaRah and applaud you for your dedication to the BOKS program, your community and your students.

If you are a deserving BOKS trainer, or know a BOKS trainer that is going above and beyond, even at home, please nominate them for next month’s Defenders of Physical Activity Award here: https://activekids.org/news/introducing-the-defenders-of-physical-activity-award

COVID19 – Update from BOKS

Hello BOKS Community,

The health and safety of everyone in our BOKS community is our top priority. That being said, we encourage you to follow your local school or program’s policy when it comes to the COVID-19 and/or check with your local  Department of Public Health and the Federal Government’s Centers for Disease and Control. Both agencies offer specific guidance for schools and organizations and you should adhere to their recommendations. We know that there is an overwhelming amount of information available at the moment, but not all of it is reliable. We have found that these two organizations provide the best, most factual information available.

As you have seen, this is a rapidly developing situation, in some cases changing by the day or even by the hour. We know that this can spark fear and anxiety and that the need for these kids to play and be physically active is more important than ever, but please follow local recommendation for the safety of our community.

If your school does remain open and BOKS is still running, please highlight the importance of social distancing and thorough hand washing.  For a video on social distancing and hand washing, please watch our video here: Fitness Tip – Hand Washing with Kids

Additionally, please follow the CDC guidelines for preventing COVID-19 as outlined here:https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention.html

If you have any questions regarding your BOKS program, please reach out to your local area coordinator and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

For additional resources on how to talk to your students about COVID-19, please reference this article:

How to Talk to Kids and Teens About the Corona Virus.

 

Health and wellness,

The BOKS Team