Fitness for Body, Mind and Spirit

A phrase in the Boys Town mission states one of the organization’s many goals: “to strengthen body, mind and spirit.” Recently, at Boys Town New York, students and teachers from Passages Academy and other Boys Town staff members competed in a push-up contest to promote health and wellness, just as the mission statement advocates.

Rio Fitness sponsored the event, in which 13 students and ten teachers and staff members faced their respective groups in the strenuous competition. Boys Town New York Passages Academy Teacher Lee Gabay and Youth Care Worker Corey Hooper wanted to do something fitness-oriented for the youth because there is no physical education program at the school. They contacted two employees at Rio Fitness, Seth and John, who were happy to support the event, donating not only t-shirts to all of the participants, but two elliptical machines to the school. Seth and John also provided everyone with fitness tips.

Boys Town supporter, Professor Bryonn Bain of Long Island University, attended the event to cheer on the participants. The New York Department of Education provided bottles of water and protein bars.

“The youth found the event fun, educational and physically rewarding,” said Hooper. This is just one example of how the [New York] Department of Education and Boys Town work together to promote the mission at Boys town, to care for children and communities.”