We recently finished our 9- through 11-year-olds session of our Club’s SMART Moves Program. Over the span of 7 weeks, the all-boys group learned the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, good friendships, making good choices while avoiding risky behavior, as well as gaining new tools to help with drug and alcohol resistance. At the beginning of the program many of the boys were shy and skeptical to give input on the day’s topics, but as the Program progressed, so did the boys that were involved. One of the Club kids, Eismel, started out as one of those shy, reserved kids but midway through the Program he became not only more comfortable around his peers, but was also able to give great input and feedback on the daily topics. By the end of the Program, it was obvious that Eismel had really come out of his shell. He was always first to ask questions or to volunteer his answers during group discussions. Eismel took a special liking to the SMART Moves Program and could not wait for Wednesdays when he could meet with his new friends and learn more about the skills and tools he could use as he continues to mature from a kid to a young man.
