Ready to move? Munasar Yusuf certainly is. His goal for the summer: " Fifty million steps!"
It's doable. Last year Mayor Robert Cluck came to Bryant Elementary to congratulate Skylar Searcy, who jumped, skipped, trotted, glided and rolled her way to an eye-popping 62 million steps. Took her pedometer everywhere. In her backyard, in the park, on the beach in California. " Even when I got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom," she said.
Cluck was at Bryant again on Wednesday to kick off yet another Move with the Mayor campaign where AISD fifth graders receive pedometers to record every step they will take over the summer. This is actually a program inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama whose platform has been combating obesity among children. She asked every mayor in the country to join her Let's Move campaign for a holistic approach to fighting childhood obesity. More than 4,500 students took part in Move with the Mayor last year.
Big prizes await the top three winners but Cluck and AISD Superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos told Bryant fifth graders that the payoff goes far beyond, say, tickets to a Texas Rangers baseball game.
" In this country, and in this city, there are way too many kids who are overweight," said Cluck. " And many of them will not live to old age because being obese can cause all sorts of problems, like heart disease. Walking is one of the best exercises you can do. One of the worst things you can do is sit on the couch and watch TV."
Cavazos called the Move with the Mayor program " an easy" homework assignment."
" Just as you continue to read and practice your math over the summer don't forget another important part of the summer: walking," Cavazos said. " Taking part in activities that makes you strong and healthy and feel better about yourself. When you return to school for your sixth grade year, we want you to be better prepared to learn."
Searcy and second place winner, Romello Watson, who recorded over 9 million steps, joined his Bryant classmate at the event (Hannah Robinson of Mary Moore Elementary took just over 8 million steps for third place last year.)
Searcy talked of " never taking off the pedometer" and putting in miles along the California beach. Watson, who loves outdoors sports, said, " It wasn't real hard. You kind of forget that you have this thing on."
Cluck's challenge to students: try getting in 10, 000 steps a day. And take along a parent. The more, the merrier.
" Exercising is contagious, " Cluck said. " We don't want this to be one day or one weekend. We want this to be the rest of your life."
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