Yeira, a 4th grader at James Otis Elementary, loves being active. From the moment she climbs up the seemingly hundreds of stairs to the Otis gym on the fourth floor, Yeira’s energy and excitement is quite noticeable. Her commitment to the Urban Initiatives soccer team is evident each morning when she shows up to practice on time, is wearing her shin guards and when she tells Coach Sifuentes about the healthy food she ate for breakfast.
When asked what healthy foods she enjoys eating Yeira quickly responded, “Carrots and apples!” Instilling the idea of eating healthy foods and living active lives are the core of what Urban Initiatives teaches our players. The lessons our coaches teach players like Yeira on the soccer field translate to the classroom as well as at home. While at home, Yeira says she runs in her backyard and does jumping jacks. She also works on her soccer skills; her dribbling, passing and shooting has greatly improved as each week passes.
Her Work to Play scores are as consistent as her attendance. Yeira scores fives across the board (on a scale 1-5, with 5 being the highest) in categories that include class attendance, homework completion and respectful behavior. Yeira is the perfect example of being a leader in the classroom and on the soccer field. Yeira is Urban Initiatives.
