ACES Day at The College School

3:12 p.m., May 5, 2005--Rope jumping, slam dunkin’ and fruits and vegetables were all on the menu for The College School’s second annual All Children Exercising Simultaneously (ACES) Day, Wednesday, May 4, on Academy Field.

Martha McDonough, administrative assistant at The College School, coordinated the event. She said the day’s activities are meant to encourage exercise and good nutrition and demonstrate that both can be done while having fun.

UD student athletes and students from the College of Health and Nursing Sciences donated their time and skills to showing The College School’s 57 children, ages 7-13, how to have a healthy but fun time, and YoUDee, the Blue Hen mascot, was on hand to get the day off to a flying start.

The fun began with youngsters and YoUDee chowing down on a lunch of fresh orange slices, apples, bananas, grapes, a veggie dish with dip and fruit smoothies.

One enthusiastic fan shouted, "Eat healthy, YoUDee!"

Blue Hens basketball co-captain Mike Slattery works with Tyler (left) and Kyle on dribbling.

Eleven-year-old Meredith was up for the activity. “I think it’s going to be cool, real fun,” she said. Brittany, 12, agreed and added, “We’re just having fun and doing healthy things. You can learn a lot about being healthy and still have fun.”

Jesse, 7, challenged YoUDee to a game of tag, but the bird declined, afraid of being fouled.

Gregory, 13, said he’s into sports and fruits and vegetables. “I’ll eat junk food at the movies, but I love fruits and vegetables.”

After lunch, Jeanne Geddes-Key, Emily L. Phelps Director of The College School, proclaimed “Let the games begin.”

Youngsters could choose from fencing, soccer, basketball, volleyball, nutrition and fitness training and muscle activation demonstrations.

YoUDee en garde

There to teach kids soccer were three members of the Blue Hen soccer team, junior Bonnie Mills, senior Liz Friedman and junior Lindsey Boyd.

Seniors Michael Slattery and Calvin Smith, co-captains of the Blue Hen basketball team, ran a basketball clinic.

Smith said he mentors three children and wanted to participate in ACES because, “It’s the right thing to do. Share your blessings.”

Slattery agreed and said, “It’s good to give back.”

Article by Barbara Garrison
Photos by Duane Perry

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