Announcing the 2nd Annual Trainer Appreciation Award

All of our BOKS trainers and volunteers deserve to be rewarded. They exemplify what it means to be a change agent for good in their communities. This year we are so excited to announce that we will be honoring a few exceptional trainers with our BOKS Trainer Appreciation Awards. The first place winner will be awarded a $500 Reebok gift card, second place will receive $250 and third place $100.

“BOKS Trainers are the heart and soul of the BOKS program,” said BOKS Founder and Executive Director, Kathleen Tullie. “They sacrifice their own time to get kids moving – and while the physical and mental health benefits they provide to their communities far outnumber the awards we are able to offer – we want to provide them with some well-deserved recognition. Thank you to all our trainers for supporting our efforts and making a difference!”

Please take five minutes and nominate a BOKS Trainer in your community. Feel free to reach out to Michela North (Michela.North@bokskids.org) with any questions:

CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE A TRAINER

Deadline to nominate a trainer is May, 18th 2019

Announcing Partnership with BCBSMA and Attleboro Public Schools

BOKS PARTNERS WITH ATTLEBORO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF MASSACHUSETTS TO BRING PROGRAMMING TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

BOKS curriculum gets kids moving, teaches them about nutrition

ATTLEBORO – Attleboro elementary students will have even more opportunities to get moving and playing, all while learning more about nutrition and wellness. BOKS (Build Our Kids’ Success) will bring its science-based curriculum to all public Attleboro elementary schools beginning in September of 2019, thanks to a three-year partnership between the Boston-based organization, the Attleboro Public Schools and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA).

The BOKS curriculum gets kids moving for approximately 45 minutes before or after the school day, three days per week. Each BOKS class starts with free play and socializing, followed by a warm-up, running-related activity, practice of a particular skill through non-competitive relays or obstacle courses and a game. At the end of the class, participants stretch, cool down and discuss the nutrition tip of the week.

This won’t be the first time BOKS programming takes place in Attleboro schools. Previously, the limited number of schools offering BOKS programming reported seeing fewer office visits from students on BOKS class days.

“We have a responsibility to ensure that we are educating the whole child for each and every student entrusted in our care, and wellness is a big part of that,” said Attleboro Superintendent David Sawyer. “We’ve seen firsthand the academic and behavioral benefits programs like the one offered by BOKS provide. We are grateful that even more Attleboro students will be able to reap those benefits thanks to our new partnership with BOKS and Blue Cross.”

“We are excited to support programs and initiatives that foster healthy living in communities across Massachusetts,” said Jeff Bellows, Vice President of Corporate Citizenship and Public Affairs at Blue Cross. “By encouraging kids to be active first thing in the morning and teaching them about healthy nutrition, the BOKS program is doing just that. As a result, Attleboro students will be set up for success inside and outside of the classroom.”

“BOKS is thrilled to have the support of BCBSMA in all Attleboro Public Schools to get even more kids moving and active before the school day,” said Kathleen Tullie, Founder and Director of BOKS. “Partnerships like this one have been an integral part of the BOKS growth as all parties understand how critical health and wellness in creating a healthy future for our children.”

While BOKS programming won’t officially begin until the start of the 2019-2020 school year, there are plans to preview a class at an event in late spring 2019.

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About BOKS:BOKS is a physical activity program that empowers school communities to improve their children physically, mentally and socially through the power of movement. Backed by science, BOKS provides each school community with a robust curriculum, training and on-going support to establish and maintain impactful programs serving the whole child. In an effort to close the fitness inequality gap, the BOKS program is 100% FREE to schools so that children have access to the extensive health and wellness benefits of sports and fitness no matter their income level.

Media Contacts

BOKS

Michela North, Marketing Coordinator, 781.264.4814, michela.north@bokskids.org

Attleboro Public Schools

David Sawyer, Superintendent, 508.222.0012

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

Kacey Brister, Public Affairs Sr. Specialist, 337.401.2098, kacey.brister@bcbsma.com

BOKS Trainer Appreciation Awards 2018

BOKS Trainers are game changers in their community – they bring the many physical and mental health benefits of fitness to kids in fun and creative ways. This year, in an effort to reward these outstanding individuals, we called on the entire BOKS community across the globe to nominate stand out trainers for the “BOKS Trainer Appreciation Awards,” and are proud to present our top three. Congratulations to all of our nominees – we are so proud to call you our BOKS family!

THIRD PLACE:

Robert Johnson, educator at Dalton Elementary in Aurora, CO, was nominated by principal, Bonnie Hargrove. Robert brought BOKS to Dalton and the district as a whole, and is also involved in student council and other fitness clubs for students and teachers.

SECOND PLACE:

Gelynn Thompson, educator at Randle Highland Elementary School in Washington, DC, was nominated by colleague and special education teacher, Regan Harris. Gelynn is a role model for students as described by Harris. At recess, you can find Gelynn always playing various playground games with students, bringing a healthy lunch, and setting an example for all Randle students!

FIRST PLACE:

Frank DeAngelis is our BOKS Trainer Award Winner! DeAngelis is a trainer at Thomas Hamilton Primary School in Weymouth, MA. Nominated by principal, Jeremy Burm, DeAngelis is a BOKS superstar! He centralizes all BOKS classes on building teamwork and developing confidence. Burm mentions that “all of Frank’s [BOKS] programs really start with the team, and it’s a lot about team building, and about confidence, and that works its way down to the individual [students].” DeAngelis has integrated BOKS into the school system, and it has become such a large part of Hamilton – the school even recognizes BOKS kids over the intercom!

These three trainers were nominated for their dedication to BOKS, passion for making a difference in both their schools and communities, and their overall commitment to helping students succeed and grow academically and within the BOKS program.

We can’t stress how difficult it was to narrow it down to our top three winners which is why we’d like to recognize all of our nominees:

Abby McPherson, Angie Benoit, Ann Marie Swanson, Cara Ward, Casstrena Moses, Cece Betancourt, Ceciliana Betancourt, Colleen Lynch, Danielle Payne, Debora Bys, Devin Ligon, Erin Colleran, Frank DeAngelis, GeLynn Thompson Moore, Jennifer Barsamian, Jordan Binder, Joyce MacDonald, Kate Bacon Schneider, Kelly Brennon, Laura Hayden, Lisa Dias, Mary Anne King, Matthew Chase, Mr. Curtis, Patricia Morgan, Patricia St Laurent, Renee Tabor, Robert Bowen, Robert Johnson, Robin MacBlane, SaRah BoweRs, Sarah Spelman, Shane Mccracken, Steven Walker, Tara Ettis, Team Bryantville Trainers, The Potter Road BOKS Team, Tom Levett, Tony Robinson, Tracey Peck-Moad, Waleah Blais, Yvonne Ramirez!

Join team BOKS for the Reebok Boston 10K for Women

The BOKS Team is excited to announce that BOKS has been chosen as one of two non-profit beneficiaries of the Reebok Boston 10K for Women.

The historic race will take place on Columbus Day, Monday, October 8^th and we would love to see the whole BOKS community come together to run, cheer, and support our families. BOKS will be showing up in a big way with its own fundraising team and we will also be sponsoring the Kids 1K Fun Run so all BOKS families can get involved.

To register for the race, please follow this link.

Interested in joining our BOKS fundraising team to bring BOKS to more schools in need? Visit our fundraising page and join team BOKS to get started! Then let us know you’ve joined our team via Facebook – we’ll be hosting training runs and offering tips and in-store discounts at Reebok to all runners.

Running or not we hope you’ll join us for some family fun on Columbus Day and sign your kids up for the FREE 1K Kids Fun Run! This run will include nutritious snacks, face painting, and more. You can sign up here.

Hope to see you there!

Are Smartphones the new cigarettes? Part 2: change is happening

In my work, I am so lucky to be in a community and work environment where I am encouraged to not only put my phone down during the day but to use that time to be physically active. So when I wrote my recent article “Are smartphones the new cigarettes?” it wasn’t a surprise that I was surrounded by people who agreed with my theory.

It was a surprise however, when just a few months later, one of the very companies I was calling out as “today’s Tobacco companies” made this announcement: “Facebook, Instagram add tools to limit time spent on the apps.” Yes, you read that correctly, Facebook and Instagram have released new features that actually limit the time you spend on Facebook and Instagram.

The article goes on to say that Silicon Valley companies are coming to terms with the negative consequences of its products. Ameet Ranadive, product management director at Instagram, and David Ginsberg, director of research at Facebook, said in a statement, “Our hope is that these tools give people more control over the time they spend on our platforms and also foster conversations between parents and teens about the online habits that are right for them.”

While this is just one small feature and I’m not expecting it to drastically change a now well-adopted social behavior, it is a positive step in that Silicon Valley actually acknowledged the negative impact its products have on society. It’s like they gave themselves their own Surgeon’s General Warning and I applaud them for that.

You can learn about how to use this feature in the full article from CNET here. I will be setting this up for myself and my teenagers just in time for back to school. Beyond utilizing this feature, I wanted to provide parents, teachers and community members some advice on balancing screen time as we start a new school year. While I’m no expert, I’m hoping this advice will come in handy as we all navigate this new world of parents and educating in a time of digital technology:

Explain why limiting screen time is important: kids at every age are often smarter than we give them credit for. Be sure to take the time to explain the dangers of tech addiction.
Practice what you preach: our kids pick up on everything we do (no matter their age) so if you are consumed by your device they will think it’s okay for them to do as well.
Make eye contact: human connection is so important and increasingly lost as we stare at screens all day – so whether you are teaching, coaching or parenting be sure that phones are down and you are speaking directly with the young people in your life.
Schedule a phone free activity a day: this could be a tough one based on schedules but be sure that you have at least one screen free activity a day (go for a run, cook dinner together or play a board game).

For the 2nd Straight Year, BOKS will attend the 2018 CrossFit Games and Get Kids Active

BOKS will be attending the 2018 CrossFit Games held in Madison, Wisconsin from August 1st – 5th for the 2nd straight year!

The Reebok CrossFit Games are the world’s premier test to find the Fittest on Earth™, where athletes compete in events that measure a broad range of functional movements from lifting, to running, and even swimming. At the CrossFit Games, the world’s fittest 40 men, 40 women, 40 teams, 80 teenagers, and 240 masters compete in a wide variety of challenges to rank the world’s fittest athletes.

At the CrossFit Games, BOKS will be offering free 30 minute BOKS classes for kids as well as running a Burpee challenge for children up to 14 years of age. Each day, one winner of the burpee challenge will receive a $50 gift card to Reebok.

To see us in action at the games, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!

BOKS’ Booth Schedule: Open 8AM- 6PM (Wednesday – Sunday)

Wednesday, August 1st – Saturday, August 4th

BOKS Class: 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm

Burpee Challenge: 4pm-6pm

Sunday, August 5th:

BOKS Class: 9am & 11am

Student Spotlight : Cameron Shearing

This student spotlight came from a very special mom, Nicole Shearing, who took the time out of her busy life to post an update about her son on Facebook that was quickly circulated through our team. Nicole’s post not only brought tears to our eyes but served as a powerful reminder of why we do what we do. After seeing this post we reached out to Nicole to learn more about her and her incredible son Cameron, this is their story:

Cameron is a kind, gentle-hearted, typical six year old boy. He goes to school, plays with his friends, and is whip-smart. But Cameron faces challenges that other kids his age do not. At the age of two and a half, Cameron suffered a traumatic brain injury that left his life and future in jeopardy. The situation was dire, thankfully Cameron’s status improved, in part thanks to the care he received from Boston Children’s Hospital and in part due to his strength as a young boy.

“At one point we were told that if he woke up that he would probably never walk or talk again,” his mother Nicole recalls.

But Cameron did wake up. And not only did he wake up, but he was speaking in full sentences. Cognitively, Cameron suffered no deficits from his accident, in fact his academic success is above average. “I know everyone says this about their kids, but he’s beyond smart. His teachers are blown away by how smart he is,” Nicole tells us.

Physically, however, Cameron does experience some deficits in coordination and gross motor skills. “We’re getting to the age where were starting to notice differences physically between him and his friends,” says Nicole, “and that’s hard.”

In an effort to keep Cameron physically active and engaged, Nicole and her family decided to enroll Cameron in BOKS at his school. As a member of BOKS, Cameron has the opportunity to move and be active with the freedom that our functional fitness curriculum offers. “He knows there are certain things that his friends can do that he can’t do, and that’s really hard. But, BOKS has been huge just in the short amount of time that he’s done it. It’s been a big confidence boost for him,” remarks Nicole.

But Cameron’s story doesn’t stop there. His story, and the successful use of the video conferencing system, has been used to lobby for medical insurance to cover the use of systems like this. While Cameron’s journey hasn’t always been easy, the struggles that he and his family have faced have given them the opportunity to demonstrate their unwavering resilience and strength in the face adversity.

Above all, Cameron is a stellar BOKS student with all the musings and curiosities of any six year old and he inspires his family each and every day. His mother Nicole sums it up well “he’s kind, he’s caring, and he’s a great person. He has a tremendous heart.”

BOKS Kids Become Fitness Leaders @ Quincy, MA Event

The Clifford Marshall Elementary School in Quincy, MA held a very special event last Thursday celebrating BOKS, the power of exercise, and total commitment to getting kids moving. Each year at this time, Principal Nicholas Ahearn, PE Teacher Janice Chapman, and 90 BOKS students lead the entire school of 500+ kids in an end-of-year celebration named A.S.E.S. – All Students Exercising Simultaneously.

Helping to kick-off and lead the activities was Jeff Bellows, VP of Corporate Citizenship and Public Affairs at BCBSMA. Also in attendance was Quincy Public Schools Superintendent Richard DeCristofaro and Executive Director of Community Partnerships Keith Segalla to cheer the kids on as they rocked to fun music and exercised together for 40 minutes. A truly compelling event that illustrates what’s possible when the community comes together, support students with fitness and leadership opportunities, and helps to prepare them for their days in school. Marshall School rocks BOKS!

To read full coverage of the event please visit The Patriot Ledger

Trainer Spotlight: SaRah Bowers, Potter Road Elementary

For this trainer spotlight we spoke with SaRah Bowers, lead trainer at Potter Road Elementary School in Framingham, MA. SaRah got involved with BOKS when her daughter joined the program three years ago. Since then, SaRah has graduated to Lead Trainer, giving her the freedom to create new opportunities for the students to enrich their experience with BOKS. One such opportunity has been replacing “Students of the Week” with “Teams of the Week.”

“[At BOKS] you have kindergartners in the same space as 5^th graders and you see the older kids helping out the younger ones without even being asked to,” SaRah remarked. “We really wanted to highlight the relationships being built as a team.”

In addition, Potter Road has implemented a “BOKS Leadership Council” made up of 5^th graders who have been in the program for a few years. This BOKS session they gave ten students the opportunity to teach a class in groups of two. Not only does this type of independence and creative freedom allow the students to explore, but it also reminds the trainers of which kinds of activities the kids want to be doing.

When asked if there was a standout BOKS moment for SaRah, she recalled watching the students run, “You used to have kindergartners lagging behind, we’ve eclipsed that. It’s not about how fast you run, they all come across the finish line together,” she added.

The leadership and team-focused efforts SaRah introduced show her dedication to our shared values here at BOKS. It’s not about winning or losing, but rather the efforts that make us better and the moments that inspire us.

Trainers like SaRah are part of what makes BOKS so unique. If you know a trainer who deserves recognition nominate them for the BOKS Trainer Appreciation Awards! Deadline to submit is May 18th: SUBMIT HERE