Alexis Glick Blog
Latest news & announcements from Alexis Glick and her team.

Before the end of the year, I wrote a post reflecting on GENYOUth’s exciting, at times exhausting, but always fulfilling 2012 year of action. In the post, I mentioned one of Fuel Up to Play 60′s tireless Student Ambassadors, Kylie Kasprick, who has agreed to keep us updated with the progress she’s been making in her school and community since she attended GENYOUth’s inaugural Nutrition + Physical Activity Learning Connection Summit in September.

Kylie blew through her goals to do everything from interview the Vikings’ Head Coach to starting a Wellness Team at her school that encourages her peers and adults to consistently make healthier choices. She also had a game plan for the holidays to ensure her success.

With Kylie’s brilliant thoughts on our minds, myself and the GENYOUth team took a bit of time over the holidays to decompress and indulge in moderation. My family and I headed to Disney World in Orlando, where my baby girl, Jade, had her first official run-in with Mickey Mouse and together we all conquered our share of long lines and loop-de-loops.

Wiped out after a full day at Disney World

Slate as Captain Jack Sparrow

So now here we are, on January 8th, 2013, just one week into a brand new year. It’s no surprise to anyone who knows me that I have a lot on my mind. Too much! Perhaps one of the many reasons I feel the urgency to keep a fast pace right out of the gate is because of kids like Kylie who never stop dreaming, planning and taking action. I would bet that Kylie spent her time off inspiring the people in her life. Another Student Ambassador, Bobby Sena, probably the most active Facebook community member that GENYOUth is lucky enough to interact with, counts learning a new sport and mastering his current endeavors among the New Year’s resolutions he’s sure to make good on.

For me, Fuel Up to Play 60′s Student Ambassadors are a constant reminder of how much kids are capable of when you give them a platform to share their ideas and the access and resources to bring those ideas to life. Effective this month, the Fuel Up to Play 60 team has officially kicked off the Student Ambassador Draft to bring even more kids with varying talents and ideas into the growing group that is leading health and wellness efforts at their schools, working hand-in-hand with their teachers and Program Advisors (hashtag #SADraft). Part of the push to bring in students includes learning from current Student Ambassadors about why they decided to take on a bigger role in the program and how it’s changed their lives for the better.

Kids have so much to teach us through their bold honesty and a sense of wonder for life’s surprises, which seem to come around less often when you’re an adult. We should always be watching and learning from them, and we absolutely MUST be creating more opportunities like Fuel Up to Play 60′s Student Ambassador Program for kids to lead and show us their mettle.

My New Year’s resolutions have a lot to do with my four fabulous kids, who never cease to tell me what they think. I can’t tell you how much I value that honesty. It keeps me in check and with all of the ideas in my head, keeps me focused on the main reason GENYOUth opened our doors almost two years ago: to serve our most important customer, kids, and provide resources and funding to schools.

I’ll be getting back into the gym, and more specifically, back to the spin class I love. It takes a lot of work starting at 5am every weekend day to take my boys to hockey and soccer practice and games across the tri-state. It’s a labor of love and I need to do my best every day to practice what I preach with my own children and other children by making sure I find the time for my own health and wellness. My mind flourishes when I’m active. I need to get those creative juices flowing again by making physical activity a priority in my day-to-day life.

If you want to see what GENYOUth is up to in the new year, please keep following us on our website, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest (where I’ll be sharing my upcoming year in pictures soon). Got New Year’s resolutions that you think could help GENYOUth learn and grow? Tweet @genyouthnow, hashtag #30/90, post on our Facebook wall, or enter your ideas in GENYOUth’s Idea Bank.

It starts with YOU, ME and all of us! Happy New Year and thank you for making a difference! Alexis