Prove it! BOKS Rocks and Gets Kids Fit!

In a recent study published in the Journal of Exercise, Sports, and Orthopedics, Dr. Wayne Westcott has proven what BOKS trainers and volunteers know and experience every day: BOKS gets kids fitter and healthier. Dr. Westcott, a prolific researcher, author, and educator in the field of fitness, studied the physiological impact of a nine-week BOKS program on its participants from the Weymouth Public School District in Massachusetts.

Building on the work of the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST), which found that BOKS has a significant impact on cognitive performance, nutrition knowledge, and daily physical activity, Dr. Westcott concluded that “The BOKS before-school physical activity program is effective for reducing percent body fat, fat weight, and increasing aerobic performance in preadolescent boys and girls”.

In Dr. Westcott’s study, 81 BOKS participants were evaluated along with 31 control group participants, all in grades K-4. Compared to the control group, BOKS participants significantly decreased body fat percentage and fat weight and significantly improved in aerobic performance, as measured by the 400 meter run, during the course of the nine-week BOKS program. These results stayed true even after statistically controlling for differences between the groups including gender, age, and baseline measurements.

BOKS was inspired by the scientific work of Harvard’s Dr. John Ratey and we continue to ensure that the program remains evidence-based. In the coming year, BOKS will be building upon the research of NIOST, Dr. Ratey, and Dr. Westcott by engaging in a large-scale study with Harvard University to investigate the impact of BOKS on a broad set of psychological, cognitive, social, brain performance, academic and lifestyle health behavior outcomes.

In light of the increasing inactivity trends throughout the United States and the world, it is even more crucial that we continue to instill a love for physical activity in our children. BOKS trainers and volunteers play a significant role by acting as positive role models to get kids moving and having fun. BOKS is in over 1,300 schools, but we aren’t stopping there. The results of Dr. Westcott’s study can easily be replicated in your community by enrolling your school and running the BOKS program!

If you are already running BOKS, please view the study as further evidence to substantiate your amazing hard work and dedication. If you haven’t run BOKS yet, please read the study and feel free to use the information to convince your principal or administrator that BOKS rocks! We have also created a handy one-pager to summarize all of the BOKS evaluations to date. Knowledge is power!

Get To Know Your Boks Team Tuesday! (11th Edition)

Hey BOKStars! Welcome to the 11th edition of “BOKS Team Tuesday.” We are always here to help in every way possible to make your experience a great one and #TeamTuesday will allow you to put a face to the name, as well as learn a bit more about who we are!

Meet Emma van Emmerik!

Position Title: Boston Area Program Coordinator

Favorite thing about BOKS: What I love about BOKS is our mission to develop all children’s intrinsic motivation to get their bodies moving every day. In order to get youth to adopt active lifestyles into adulthood, BOKS aims to empower kids to take ownership over their own fitness. The curriculum aims to get all kids off the sidelines, and to link the benefits of exercise to improved academic outcomes and social development. I am inspired by all of the individual trainers I have met so far who are dedicated to promoting physical activity in their local schools by implementing BOKS.

Fun Fact: I was born in the Netherlands and speak Dutch fluently – Dutch Gouda cheese is incredible! And the biking culture is so inspiring. In the Netherlands, bicycles there are essentially an extension of your body – I wish I could balance an arm chair and two small children on my bike. I hope to own a houseboat on a canal in Amsterdam some day.

Favorite exercise: I’m currently training for the Chicago Marathon – it will be my first marathon! I’m also obsessed with my road bike and love to Nordic ski. Last winter I did my first Birkebeiner in Wisconsin – a 50K skate race in -10 degree weather!

Quote to live by: “Skis, boots, poles?” Not exactly a quote, but what every skier has to ask themselves when they leave the house. When I leave in the morning it looks like I packed for long weekend (multiple meals, snacks, workout clothes, shoes, change of clothes, laptop, etc.) so I have to ask myself this every day!

Best Team memory: I am brand new to BOKS, but I am thrilled to be a part of a team that is dedicated to getting moving every day and geeks out together about all the benefits of exercise. The first time I met Kathleen, we went on a trail run up Blue Hills, which as a runner was pretty much my dream scenario of meeting my new boss. I’m really enjoying getting to know the members of the BOKS team and am looking forward to working (and working out!) with all of them!

Get To Know Your Boks Team Tuesday! (10th Edition)

Hey BOKStars! Welcome to the 10th edition of “BOKS Team Tuesday.” We are always here to help in every way possible to make your experience a great one and #TeamTuesday will allow you to put a face to the name, as well as learn a bit more about who we are!

Meet Heidi McGrath!

Position Title: Lead trainer, BOKS mentor, and voice of info@bokskids.org

Favorite thing about BOKS: I love that BOKS is about the individual.  As a participant you don’t need to be the BEST at anything.  You can come to BOKS to have fun, hang out with friends and not realize that you are doing something good for you.

Fun Fact: I went to Disney World every single year from grade school all the way up until I was in high school!   

Favorite exercise:I don’t have a favorite exercise.  I just “love” to exercise.  It helps me stay focused.

Quote to live by: It’s not what you can’t do; it’s what you can do!

Best Team memory:  My best team memory is the first year I ran BOKS at my school.  We had a fourth grade girl who was a bit out of shape and overweight.  She struggled so much with the activities but never gave up.  Our goal that year was to have everyone run 9 miles in total.  She ran every week trying to keep up.  It came down to the last week of the session and she completed ALL 9 miles.  Her mom came up to me at a later time thanking us for doing what we do.  Her daughter is now signing up to run 5Ks.  We made a difference in her life.

Get To Know Your Boks Team Tuesday! (9th Edition)

Hey BOKStars! Welcome to the 9th edition of “BOKS Team Tuesday.” We are always here to help in every way possible to make your experience a great one and #TeamTuesday will allow you to put a face to the name, as well as learn a bit more about who we are!

Meet Heather Chase!

Position Title: BOKS Mentor, Training Team, Outreach

Favorite Thing About BOKS: I love interacting with the kids while doing site visits and seeing how BOKS makes a difference in the kids and trainers lives.

Fun Fact: I am the proud grandmother of 16! My chocolate lab Trudy has had two litters of puppies and we are about to have a third litter with her daughter Harper.

Favorite Exercise: I love jumping on the trampoline with my three boys, running and playing basketball. Anything active with my family puts us all in a good mood.

Quote To Live By: “You can always do more than you think you can.”

Best Team Memory: The best memory I have is to think about how small BOKS was just 6 years ago when we piloted it in Natick, MA compared to how many schools we are in currently. Just the fact that we are impacting so many kids is a great feeling.

Get To Know Your Boks Team Tuesday! (8th Edition)

Hey BOKStars! Welcome to the 8th edition of “BOKS Team Tuesday”. We are always here to help in every way possible to make your experience a great one and #TeamTuesday will allow you to put a face to the name, and learn a bit more about who we are!

Meet Cheri Levitz!

Position Title: Co-Founder

Favorite Thing About BOKS: One of my favorite things about BOKS is that it gives parents an opportunity to make a difference/impact at their child’s school.

Fun Fact: I like to read books about Zombies and Vampires (The Strain, The Passage, Order of the Sanguines Series) or classics like War & Peace.

Favorite Exercise: Swimming is my go to exercise where I truly feel like I’m getting a workout, but I am beginning to really enjoy crossfit. On Saturday mornings we go as a family which is really fun and something I never thought would happen (especially with two teenagers). But we all encourage one another during the workout and high five at the end.

Quote to Live by: “Believe you can and you’re halfway there”. – T.Roosevelt

Best Team Memory: One of my favorite memories occurred during our first year. I love how BOKS can make a difference in the lives of children in so many ways. During our first year, there was a child who was not thrilled to be at BOKS. During the 400m run, the child would barely walk it and would complain of some physical ailment. In the classroom, this child was kown to visit the nurse daily with complaints, showed little confidence during class and was not engaged. One of our parent volunteers came along this child and would walk the 400m run with the child and would be encouraging. By the end of the school year, this child would show up with running shoes ready to get started with that 400m run. The teacher said that the nurse’s visits stopped and class participation occurred. To think that BOKS helped this child come out of their shell and build confidence is inspiring.

Get To Know Your Boks Team Tuesday! (7th Edition)

Hey BOKStars! Welcome to the seventh edition of “BOKS Team Tuesday”. We are always here to help in every way possible to make your experience a great one and #TeamTuesday will allow you to put a face to the name, and learn a bit more about who we are!

Meet Caeli Sullivan!

Position Title: Social Purpose Marketing, PR and Social Media Manager

Favorite Thing About BOKS: Our immediate and extended team. To be surrounded by such wonderful people really makes each and every day that much better.

Fun Fact: The first concert I ever went to was Milli Vanili – too bad I later found out that they had been lip syncing the whole time!

Favorite Exercise: Yoga is definitely my favorite way to work out, but I love running as well.

Quote to Live By: “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” -John Lennon

Best Team Memory: One of my favorite team memories was after a long day of shooting a video for BOKS we made our way to one of Kathleen’s favorite spots Farm Pond for some rest and relaxation. I definitely love the moments when we can get out of the office and either work out together or just bond as a team – whether it’s making dinner at someone’s place or going for a run up Blue Hills. Work hard, play hard.

Get To Know Your Boks Team Tuesday! (6th Edition)

Hey BOKStars! Welcome to the sixth edition of “BOKS Team Tuesday”. We are always here to help in every way possible to make your experience a great one and #TeamTuesday will allow you to put a face to the name, and learn a bit more about who we are!

Meet Laura Burati!

Position Title: Program and Training Manager

Favorite Thing About BOKS: Wow, there are so many things I love about my job. The thing I love most is being able to visit schools all over the world and seeing kids run around while enjoying BOKS. Being able to see the kids playing and having fun just connects me to what I do everyday here at Reebok.

Fun Fact: Fun fact? Wait a minute… that’s what I ask all the participants that come in for our BOKS trainings!! My fun fact is that I use to play bass guitar in a band with the drummer of Rascal Flatts.

Favorite Exercise: Over the years I think I have tried every workout/trend imaginable! I grew up playing a ton of team sports but injuries changed my focus. Now I stick to snowboarding, downhill mountain biking and obstacle course racing which I try to do as much as possible. My workouts however are all about CrossFit. I love what CrossFit does for me, both in fitness and in spirit.

Quote to Live By: “Strength doesn’t come from what you do it comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t. Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.”

Best Team Memory: The BOKS team is amazing! They’re such a passionate group that gets the job done no matter what. I don’t have a specific favorite memory because there are so many, but I do love when we have big conferences or events and everyone is under pressure and has to pull together to create an amazing experience! There is never a dull moment at BOKS!

A Hug A Day Keeps the Doctor Away!

Five Years ago we began our mission to promote the profound impact of physical activity on a child’s mind, body, and community. Not only has BOKS grown into over 1,240+ schools across the globe, but BOKS has been continuously learning about other interesting ways that improve individuals lives as well.

Recent Research in a study done at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA demonstrates that “Hugging” has a strong association in fighting the common flu/cold. Take a better look at the findings HERE. Just as we prioritize exercise and nutrition, we ought to prioritize quality time with loved ones; just as we avoid unhealthy habits like eating poorly, we should make an effort to avoid isolation and counter social exclusion.

Get To Know Your Boks Team Tuesday! (5th Edition)

Hey BOKStars! Welcome to the fifth edition of “BOKS Team Tuesday.” We are always here to help in every way possible to make your experience a great one and #TeamTuesday will allow you to put a face to the name, and learn a bit more about who we are!

Meet Ally Dorsey!

Position Title: BOKS Communications Co-op

Favorite Thing About BOKS: I love the fact that I am able to combine my passion for fitness, kids, and serving the commuity all at the same time.

Fun Fact: My dad owns three karate schools and he had my whole family training since we could walk! However, I’m the only one in my immediate family who isn’t a black belt!

Favorite Exercise: Running, running, and more running! Additionally I enjoy hiking, skiing, and I just started getting into CrossFit.

Quote to Live By: “Clear eyes, full heart, can’t lose.” Thank you Friday Night Lights!

Best Team Memory: I’ve only been here for a few weeks but everything so far! It’s great being able to work with a small team.

Anything Else?: I ran the Boston half marathon this fall and plan on two more within the year!

Heart Healthy Tips

Happy Heart Month BOKStars!

February is American Heart Month so be good to your heart and get plenty of physical activity to keep that heart pumping strong! Along with physical activity it is also very important to eat lots of super healthy foods. Some of our favorite healthy foods include veggies, fruits, nuts, whole grains and unsweetened dairy products (milk, cheese, and yogurt). With this month being American Heart Month we are going to focus on the color RED. And since it’s the Year of the Goat for Chinese New Year (2/19), PURPLE is also a “lucky” color. So get some red and purple foods in your day like red and purple peppers, eggplant, purple carrots (yes the do exist!), tomatoes, plums, strawberries, raspberries, apple, grapes, and cherries.

Speaking of cherries, President’s Day is coming up and George Washington may have chopped down a cherry tree, but you don’t have to! Grab some sweet colorful fruits for on-the-go goodness instead of that Valentine’s Day candy that you’ll be getting! Candy and Valentine’s typically go together, but remember sweets cause cavities and steal your energy, so eat them as treats, not snacks.

Click HERE for more information about choosing super healthy balanced snacks.