Our project this month at Rise Above gives our children a chance to explore one of the most exciting worlds there is: athletics.
Through our I am an Athlete project, children are discovering different kinds of sports, learning about the athletes who play them, and exploring what it means to take care of yourself the way athletes do. That means looking at nutrition, movement, rest, and the habits that help people do their best work physically and mentally.
Our classrooms are exploring sports like football, baseball, basketball, soccer, bowling, and golf. Children are learning about what it takes to train, stay healthy, and compete. They’re talking about specific athletes and connecting those real people to the sports they love. And when the conversations get creative, our children even invent their own games, which might be our favorite part.
One special highlight this month: a KC Chiefs Flag Football program brings a coach and team directly to Rise Above. Children who sign up have the chance to learn the fundamentals of flag football, work on controlling the ball, and practice the kind of teamwork and turn-taking that makes a good teammate. It is one thing to learn about sports. It is another to actually get on the field.
Throughout all of it, the theme of teamwork runs through everything. How athletes work together. How a team functions when everyone has a role. How taking turns and listening to each other matters just as much as individual skill.
These are children who are learning that they are capable, and that showing up, trying hard, and supporting each other are some of the most important things they can do, on the field or anywhere else.
