SQUARE ONE RECEIVES GRANT FROM THE AMELIA PEABODY FOUNDATION

By Kimberley A. Lee

With the addition of its new Health and Fitness Resource Coordinator, Square One is ensuring preschool children are growing up fit!

Square One is pleased to welcome Terrell Joyner as Square One’s new Health and Fitness Resource Coordinator, a position made possible with generous funding from the Amelia Peabody Foundation. In addition to overseeing daily opportunities to inform and influence children through classroom-based lesson plans and learning experiences about the importance of eating well and exercising, Joyner is also responsible for creating events which will bring families together to reinforce the lessons children are learning during their days at Square One.

“This is a very positive step forward for us in terms of institutionalizing health and wellness throughout our programming,” said Kimberley A. Lee, Vice President of Advancement at Square One. “Our Health and Fitness Resource Coordinator is critical for us to address the interrelated issues of obesity, health, fitness, nutrition, and other wellness factors through daily health and wellness experiences with our children.”

With the addition of Joyner, Square One becomes a unique early education and care provider in Massachusetts with a coordinator dedicated solely to health and fitness programming. “This is the point in our children’s lives where they will start to pick up habits that will follow them,” said Joyner, a graduate of Springfield College who holds a BA in Sports Biology and a minor in Nutrition. “With that, if our children pick up bad habits with nutrition and fitness early and don’t change them early, there is a greater chance of obesity.” Joyner has worked previously with pre-school students and understands first-hand the importance of starting positive healthy habits early in life. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 33% of children ages 2-5 in Massachusetts are either already overweight or at risk of becoming overweight.

Recognizing that parents are a major influence on the lifestyles their children lead and the decisions they make, Joyner will be working closely with teachers and parents to coordinate parent nights for each of the centers operated by Square One, which may include speakers, activities, and support services around topics like healthy menu planning, nutrition and safety, as well as opportunities to engage with students in Go-Fit® activities. “Even though the kids are the most important factor, it will be really important for the parents to be engaged in their child’s well being. Without this, what is taught to the children may not have as big of an impact,” explained Joyner.

Joyner and the Square One staff are enthusiastic about the positive outcomes his work will have on the children and families who participate in the agency’s programs. Joyner is committed to ensuring that children are getting the attention they need and deserve as they develop the skills and knowledge needed to make smart and healthy decisions for a lifetime! n