New program helps ACE kids stay fit

An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but exercise is also crucial to a healthy lifestyle. To promote health and wellness, Snyder ISD’s Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE) is offering a CrossFit Kids program in conjunction with CrossFit Snyder.

“We are working on promoting healthy kids,” Snyder ACE Director Ana Montoya said. “We feel like if we can start there and show students that being active can be fun, it stimulates different parts of their brain and establishes healthy habits.”

The free program is available to all ACE students at Snyder Intermediate School and Snyder Junior High School. Students who are not enrolled in ACE may still enroll to join the CrossFit Kids program by contacting their student’s ACE campus coordinator. 

All parents must sign a consent form for their child to participate.

According to Montoya, CrossFit Kids combines gymnastics, body-weight calisthenics and weight-lifting with additional focus on exercises that encourage bone density and vestibular system development.

“Children and teens have a great opportunity to maximize their physical skills when exposed to this stimulus during years of peak development, and the elements are combined to keep children engaged and entertained while teaching them proper movement mechanics and creating a broad athletic foundation.” Montoya said. “For CrossFit Kids, it is imperative to pair fitness and fun, thus creating a lifelong love of health and fitness for our children.”

CrossFit Snyder representatives teach classes to junior high school ACE students on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5-6 p.m. and to intermediate school ACE students on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5-6 p.m.

In addition to the children’s program, ACE offers a free CrossFit class two times per week for all parents of ACE students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. 

In order to sign up, parents need to contact the ACE staff at 574-8970.