In the end, it was Billy who made the program work for the other three dozen kids.
At the Hanover YWCA, adult leader Robbie Williams helps to run a day-care program for kids 10 and under — before and after school and camp in the summer. Most of the kids are fine. Then, there was Billy, for whom sports didn't come easy. But this was different — this was SPARK.
The Highmark Healthy High 5 SPARK Active Recreation program helps kids of all skill levels discover what's inherent in all of them — their built-in energy, their innate enjoyment of fun and fitness.
A nationally recognized physical activity program, SPARK is designed for children ages 5–14, promoting moderate to vigorous activities for up to one hour daily and establishing lifelong healthy behaviors.
At the Hanover YWCA, everyone succeeds in the SPARK after-school recreation program. SPARK is being utilized at more than 140 sites across Pennsylvania.
For Billy, the turning point came during Houdini Hoops, a game where the kids link arms and try to get a hula hoop around the circle without letting go of each other. At first, Billy had a hard time. And the other kids were impatient. Then Williams said, "If you guys help him, he can get it done faster." So the other kids helped Billy and he got it — and became excited about playing it.
"With SPARK," Williams says, "there's a lot of support. With other games, it's all win-lose. But with SPARK, it's win-win. It's about getting things accomplished. If the kids see others struggling, they help. They take other children under their wing."
Using SPARK two afternoons a week for half an hour, "the most common thing," Williams adds, "are team success stories. In the Clothing Race, for example, they have to cheer for the other team. It really brings everybody together. Everybody works together to get the job done. At the YWCA, they're always wondering if it's a SPARK day. It's really a wonderful thing for the children."
Learn how to encourage kids to exercise daily for good health by reading our Physical Activity pages.
Learn more about the SPARK program in Pennsylvania.
This story was originally published in an April 5, 2009, advertising supplement for Highmark Healthy High 5.