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Quote of the Month: November
“Don’t leave crumbs. Live a life that you don’t have to look over your shoulder. When we lie, cheat, or steal, we leave ‘crumbs’ in our past. We can’t live freely because we’re constantly trying to avoid the people we wronged. Live free… Don’t leave crumbs.”
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~ Matthew McConaughey |
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Ivet, a senior at Pinkston High School, is going into her first year in the jkl program. As a Junior, Ivet had friends who participated in the jkl program which peaked her interest, but she did not feel she had any extra time. Ivet has finally taken a leap and has joined the jkl program! She has already made her mark on the program by exemplifying leadership skills. She motivates and encourages fellow jkl members to push toward their goals and she even takes the initiative to promote the jkl program amongst her peers. One of her favorite activities is running, which she displayed when she finished 2nd overall in her age division at her first Texas Ranger Labor 5k race. In addition to fueling her passion for running, the jkl
program is also the place Ivet is learning how to make healthier decisions. She is now drinking more water and substituting chips/cookie for delicious fruit.
Ivet’s family is also reaping the benefits from the jkl program, Ivet leads a stretch and warm-up session with her parents at least once a week from the activities she has learned from the program. Next Fall, Ivet is hoping to be enrolled at University Texas Arlington where she will study nursing.
“Ivet is a hard worker with a pleasant attitude and is the student everyone really enjoys being around. Students seem to gravitate towards her for directions in jkl”- Ms. Parnell
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New Sponsor Spotlight: Icelandic Glacial
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Now that the school year is in full swing and our programs are up and thriving, we wanted to take a moment to highlight our newest in-kind sponsor, Icelandic Glacial who is donating water to of 12 of our j.k. livin programs throughout the country! Icelandic Glacial is the super-premium natural spring water from the “Land of Fire and Ice” and one of the world’s cleanest ecosystems. Clean drinking water is something we often take for granted, and it is so important for our kids to stay hydrated while they are exercising! Students in Los Angeles, Washington DC and Nashville get to enjoy clean drinking water at each session this year thanks to our partners at Icelandic Glacial. We’re so thankful for this impactful donation and new partnership!
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On Sunday, October 2nd, 83 of our LA just keep livin students and 11 of our just keep livin instructors participated in the New Balance Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation 5K run, presented by Gazillion Bubbles, benefiting the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and their three pillars: Sports + Recreation, Education + Literacy and Health + Wellness. Students enjoyed the scenic and unique course around the property of Dodger Stadium, which provided amazing views of Dodger Stadium and the City of Los Angeles skyline. Our very own Amy Turner, a just keep livin teacher at Animo Inglwood, finished third in her division! Way to go Amy! It was a fun event that was enjoyed by all! We are so proud of our students for completing the 3.1 miles!
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Kids N Fitness @ Animo Inglewood
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On Monday, October 11th, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles kicked off their second annual Kids N Fitness program at Animo Inglewood. Kids N Fitness is an evidence-based six week weight management program providing interactive nutrition lessons, healthy goal setting, healthy cooking tips and discussing the importance of understanding food labels. The six week session will end with a Top Chef Challenge where students will create and prepare a healthy meal and snack to showcase. Their focus is to promote healthy eating habits, encourage more frequent exercise and reduce the behaviors that encourage weight gain. Through their classes, students will be provided with support and motivation to make incremental changes to foster a healthier lifestyle.
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Tennessee Titans Coat Drive
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On Sunday, October 16th, our just keep livin
students from Antioch High School and Maplewood High School participated in a community service event at the Nissan Stadium hosted by the Tennessee Titans for the team’s annual Coat Drive benefitting area shelters. They helped collect gently used coats donated by fans prior to the Titans/Browns game. Following their community service, the students were provided tickets to stay and watch the game where they enjoyed watching the Titans pull out a win! The students went back to the stadium on Monday night for a “sort-a-thon” to help the Titans staff sort the coats for distribution. The Titans distribute the coats to local nonprofits such as Salvation Army and YWCA. The sorting was followed by a stadium tour and dinner! It was such an incredible experience for our students to help make a positive difference in the community! |
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Guest Speaker: Dana Feldman
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Dana Feldman is a freelance journalist who works for Reuters, Variety, Forbes and more. She interviewed Matthew McConaughey for a Variety article back in February, and was so moved by our programs that she wanted to get involved. Recently, she came to Venice High to speak to a group of about 20 j.k. livin
students about the importance of WORDS. She read the monthly quote to them – “Don’t leave crumbs” – and related it to how when you write something (especially now, on the internet), it’s forever, and you can’t take it back, so we really need to be careful with what we say. She talked about the power of language and how we have to be sure to use it for good and not say or write things that will hurt someone or come back to haunt us, or “leave crumbs.” She had the kids do an exercise where they all got notebooks and were told to write a sentence, and the only “rule” was that it had to start with “I”. She had a few volunteers read their sentences aloud, and some of the sentences the kids wrote were really profound - “I am a shadow of my future self” and “I love working with animals because it’s fascinating to try and imagine how other beings might see the world.” Wow! Dana encouraged them
all to keep writing, even if it’s just for 5 minutes a day, since the brain is a muscle and we can become better writers just by exercising it. Thank you so much, Dana, for taking the time to come inspire our students!
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Coaches Corner with Jenn Zerling
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Pumpkin This, Pumpkin That
The summer months are coming to a close, but that doesn't mean your workouts should. When you just don't have time to physically go to the gym, it's possible to grab a quick total body routine right at home, and sometimes right where you are, wherever you are. I know I am not original to introduce the water bottle workout, but I might be original to say, "go with a gallon". While the popular recommendation is to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water a day, I say, carry a gallon jug with you because then you never have to count water bottles or glasses and you get to thoroughly gauge your intake each day. As long as you drink the gallon throughout the day and not too much all at once, it shouldn't be problematic. If you have concerns, please consult your physician.
Get the workout HERE and get ready to get fit anywhere!
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