The Washington Mystics Foundation is launching “Mystics In Training,” this month, a two-year pilot program in conjunction with the St. Louis University Center for Obesity Prevention. It’s a science-based initiative, where the Foundation, team and the University will be working with fourth and fifth-graders at three local schools to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables that the children eat, the amount of water they consume, and how much exercise they do.
“When we started the Foundation, we knew that childhood obesity is at an epidemic level,” said Cynthia Dinkins, president of the Washington Mystics Foundation. “We thought [the players] would be great role models to encourage young people to eat right and exercise right.”
Two schools already have been targeted as part of the program. The actual program itself will be launched at the Maury Elementary School in Alexandria, Va. In Landover, Md., the John Carroll Elementary School will take part while Foundation officials are still deciding on a District school to bring into the project. That decision is going to be made shortly.
People from St. Louis will come in to weigh and measure children at each of the three selected schools. They’ll come to town on a regular basis to do this, giving them a good look at how the children are doing in the program and things they can learn.
The federal government has started pushing getting children into better shape at a younger age and being more careful about the right things to eat plus good ways to exercise in an attempt to cut down on obesity or people being out of shape.
“We’re starting with the younger kids because we want to change their eating habits [now],” Dinkins said. “This is a prevention [exercise].”
Some of the activities to be provided to the three schools include going out and walking “the Mystics Mile” with some of the team’s players, Dr. Sheila Johnson (team owner), Dinkins and possibly some local politicians and celebrities. This will be done on a regular basis throughout the school year. Then, once the season begins, The Washington Mystics Foundation will invite the participating students and family members to some Mystics games
The Mystics Foundation was established in December, 2005 with this program being the main focus in the area. It also will be sponsoring the Mystics Hip-Hop forums, eight of which were held during this past season. That’s when kids were invited to the Verizon Center to discuss topics like HIV, AIDS, date rape and messages in the media and music.
“We want to make a change and make a difference,” Dinkins said. She added that the Mystics hope to expand this program to a bigger level in years to come.
