Juan, a fourth grader at Claremont School, was a bit out of breath but still able to smile.
“It was super fun,” he said.
Juan, and others in the school’s My Brother’s Keeper program, had just finished a series of mind and body exercises. They had done sit ups, wall squats and leg lifts and more all while naming good-for-you fruits and other mental activities.
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The program for third and fourth graders was led by Hassan Yasin, founder of the Harlem-based GIANT Thinking, Inc., a non-profit that promotes a healthy, motivational message of exercising the body and mind.
The program, held in the Claremont gymnasium, began on a positive note when Mr. Yasin asked the boys to name a word that describes them and begins with the first letter of their name.
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“Beautiful,” Brian said.
“Joyful,” added Jordan.
“Respectful,” said Richard.
Mr. Yasin led them through a series of physical exercises using their body weight for resistance. Some marched in place by themselves. Others had partners help them. Between exercises, Mr. Yasin asked the boys questions to give their brain a workout too.
“We are going to do the best we can with what we have,” he told them.
At one point, Mr. Yasin literally had the boys tangled up in small groups. They began first by grabbing the hand of someone else in the group. Once they were all “attached,” they had to figure out how to untangle themselves without letting one another go. It took a few minutes, and a few gentle falls to the floor before the boys were free.
“It’s all about communication,” Mr. Yasin said. “The object is to work together.”
Claremont MBK Advisor Mark Guartanbel, who oversaw the event, said that each month the MBK group has a theme and related activities. This month’s focused on health and wellness.
“We hope to instill qualities in African-American and Hispanic boys, give them that leadership in life,” Mr. Guartanbel said.
“We always try to keep it innovative and educational,” Mr. Yasin said of his programs.
The age of these students is the best time to reach them with this message. “This is when we have to start,” he said. “It’s a foundational age.”
