St. Joe students walk for miles and miles and miles...

Rounding the schoolyard

You can see them during morning drop-off at St. Joseph Elementary School – students as young as five and as old as fifth-graders circling the school grounds, stopping only to swipe a card before taking off again.

You will see them again during lunch recess, racking up hundreds of miles within the friendly confines of their schoolyard.

This is Operation Fit, a six-week, city-wide fitness program for elementary students funded through a Battle Creek Community Foundation grant. Ann Gallagher, St. Joseph preschool aide, heads up St. Joe’s effort.

“Our goal as a school and a community is to get kids moving,” Ms. Gallagher said.

Ms. Gallagher tailored St. Joseph’s Mileage Club to fit the grant criteria. Students walk the schoolyard along a specific route. After each circuit, they swipe a personal bar code into an iPad app, which tracks their progress.

Tracking their progress

Eight laps equal a mile and every mile gets students closer to prizes like mileage tokens, wristbands, T-shirts, water bottles, lunch with the principal, even Full Blast day passes.

Participation is voluntary; so is walking.

“They can run, they can skip – I don’t care how they do it as long as they are moving,” Ms. Gallagher said.

On May 3^rd, St. Joseph hosted an Operation Fit Family Fun Night with Bronson Battle Creek. Healthy recipe demonstrations and taste-testing were followed by more time on the blacktop.

“We ate first and they were able to walk for an hour,” Ms. Gallagher said. “Some kids did 30 laps that evening.”

Ms. Gallagher tracks miles before school and during lunch recess – times that are open to all elementary students. At the end of the six weeks, the top boy and top girl will receive a Razor scooter.

[l to r] Kolten Etheridge, Ann Gallagher, and Ryan Casterline

Second-grader Kolten Etheridge and fifth-grader Ryan Casterline are neck-and-neck for the top boy spot going into the final week.

“As soon as I come out the side doors, they are running,” Ms. Gallagher said. “It’s really awesome to see them compete.”

Although they enjoy the competition, both boys enjoy moving.

“I think it’s a good way to get out and run and be more athletic,” Ryan said.

“I love running and you can just run as much as you want,” Kolten said. “And once you get up into those high levels, it feels good to be up there.

As for the top two girls?

“I don’t know how competitive they are with each other,” Ms. Gallagher said with a smile. “They are running together.”

The elementary school has totaled 1804.78 miles as of Monday night. The real victory for Ms. Gallagher, however, is getting more kids to enjoy exercise.

“If I could get a least one kid who didn’t exercise moving, then I’ve done my job.”

Feasting with the Bridegroom

If your kid plays sports for BCACS, you know about end-of-the-season athletic banquets. It’s the night when athletes, parents, and coaches gather one last time to celebrate accomplishments, appreciate each other, and eat.

It’s like Thanksgiving, but with fewer logistics.

Last week, I had two athletic banquets in a row. The first was for the St. Philip cross-country team, of which my son was a member. The second was for the St. Philip volleyball teams, of which my daughter was a member.

While I was eating Mexican spinach dip on the second night, considering a second helping, I thought about a Gospel story.

John the Baptist’s disciples wanted to know why Jesus’ disciples never fasted. Jesus, of course, had a brilliant answer. “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?” (Matthew 9.15)

Good point.

Technically, whenever two or more are gathered in Christ’s name, the Bridegroom is there. And our BCACS family gathers a great deal in Christ’s name.

No wonder we don’t spare the calories.

It’s not just athletic banquets. Ever been to a classroom party? A band concert? A double-header on a Tuesday?

When we come together, we rarely come empty handed. Someone is always thinking of our kids, whether it’s as simple as a cooler of bottled water or as grand as homemade cupcakes with swirls of frosting. Sometimes these mini-feasts are an organized effort, sometimes it’s a surprise, but there is always something.

Volleyball and cross-country schedules are packed with Saturday commitments, often a good hour’s drive from home. This doesn’t stop the feasting. Some good-hearted soul will organize the rest of us. A few group emails, a few helping hands, a few dozen covered containers, and voila – instant picnic for everyone.

The athletic banquets take this concept to the next level.

There is something special about seeing those tables lined with people's crock pots and serving platters on a weeknight. Whether thoughtfully purchased or homemade, we are generous with each other.

There is also something special about bowing our heads to pray before we eat. Sometimes the prayer is unique, led by a single person. Sometimes it’s the traditional grace, said by everyone. Either way, it is a moment of reverence, acknowledging the Bridegroom, before the feasting begins in earnest.

Conversation and congratulations fill the room. We relive memories, swap recipes, take pictures and help ourselves to seconds. And when the night is over, a few folks always stay to help clear the dishes, stack the chairs, and wipe the tables.

We’re lucky like that.

I doubt Jesus ever had Mexican Spinach Dip with his disciples, but I’m sure he would have liked it. Maybe even had a second helping.

Hungry for Mexican Spinach Dip? Don't worry. BCACS mom extraordinaire Heather Worden was happy to share her recipe with our BCACS Blog readers. Thanks, Heather!

Mexican Spinach Dip

provided by Heather Worden

Ingredients:
1 package frozen spinach
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cans tomatoes with chili peppers (such as Rotel), drained
1 12-oz package Mexican shredded cheese
1 small fresh jalapeno, seeds removed and minced (I used canned green chilies)
⅓ cup sour cream
¼ cup white onions, chopped
¼ teaspoon cumin (I added a little more)
½ teaspoon chili powder (I added a little more)
Pita or tortilla chips

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. The spinach may seem difficult to incorporate but as you stir, it will soften and blend with the other ingredients. Transfer mixture to a 2-quart casserole dish. Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve warm with chips. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to three days.