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Let's Move effort comes to Youngstown to get children active
YOUNGSTOWN
Over several hours, hundreds of people came to East Federal Street as part of an effort to get kids to be more physically fit.
The effort is part of first lady Michele Obama’s “Let’s Move” program. The key for the event is to get children out and active, said Kathy Hammond, one of the event’s organizers.
The event included Zumba, line dancing, basketball and a lot of other physical activity, she said.
Better dining habits are a big part of the effort to reduce childhood obesity.
“Part of the first lady’s program online includes tips about how to eat better inexpensively because it is expensive to eat well,” Hammond said.
With the addition of Bottom Dollar grocery stores in the city of Youngstown that carry fresh produce, it should get easier for inner-city residents to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, she said.
In addition, city residents need to be aware that places such as White House Fruit Farm in Canfield accept food stamps, so they can buy fresh healthy food.
“One of the problems we have is that one 70- to 80-degree day, instead of being outside playing basketball or riding bikes, kids will be inside playing video games,” said David Hight, who will organize the Youngstown City Schools physical-education program for children in the third through sixth grades.
The physical-education program at the elementary schools will be the same as the one at the junior highs, except no football, Hight said.
It will include basketball, volleyball and track and field.
The goal is to develop habits, because typically children have developed habits by sixth grade, he said.
Out of those in attendance, probably 80 percent of them were under age 18, so were outside and active, Hight said.
Two of the youths who participated were Tracy Blackmon and Lajuan Thomas, who danced as part of the event.
Blackmon said the two were asked to participate because they have been involved with similar events.
They are entertaining, and the younger children look up to them, he said.
“We try to be an inspiration to young people to follow their dreams,” Thomas said.
The event was organized by Finer Things Academy, Community Mobilization Coalition and Community Initiative to Reduce Violence.
“We’re very happy with the turnout for the first year of the event,” Hammond said.