GRPS CONTRACTS BLACK-OWNED COMPANY FOR YOUTH FITNESS
- Jesse Dance
- Apr 15
- 4 min read
GRPS has recently contracted Team Get Fit LLC to host a youth fitness program that has never been done in the school district. Team Get Fit is a black owned fitness and nutrition company whose mission is "To bring health and wellness to the everyday people". Team Get Fit is owned and operated by Jesse Dance, a father and husband from Indiana, with a passion for helping people. Team Get Fit has been helping community members improve their health and wellness for nearly six years. Team Get Fit will be running a before school fitness and nutrition program called the Wellness Workshop.
Grand Rapids Public School system has acquired funding specifically to help support programming designed to improve the health and wellness of all their students in the district. Team Get Fit's Wellness Workshop program is unique in the fact that it takes place before school starts. The program will be hosted at Coit Arts Academy and is designed to help students explore and achieve the best version of themselves growing physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Team Get Fit has recruited the help of another black-owned fitness company, Battle Ground JKD to create a super team that combines evidence-based fitness and nutrition practices into the Wellness Workshop in order to empower children to build confidence, resilience, and healthy habits that extend beyond the classroom. Reggie Macon, owner and operator of BGJKD is a proud father of three beautiful children and he has over a decade and a half of experience in Jeet Kune Do with a level 4 instructorship and level 5 as a student. His purpose is to use his experience in fitness and martial arts to help people have a better quality of life, sharing his love of training and teaching.
Research shows that structured programs like the Wellness Workshop improve focus, enhance learning retention, and reduce behavioral challenges in school settings. By participating, students can expect increased energy, stronger social-emotional skills, and measurable gains in overall well-being. GRPS has contracted Team Get Fit because of their passion to help people, specifically youth. Team Get Fit offers several programs uniquely curated for every age group including senior fitness programs and youth fitness camps.
Team Get Fit LLC is a community-focused fitness and nutrition company established in 2021 that provides personalized health and wellness services through a hybrid delivery model. The business exists to address preventable health challenges by delivering accessible, relationship- driven coaching that integrates physical fitness, nutrition education, and lifestyle support. Their vision is “To see the number of deaths caused by preventable health conditions drop next to zero.”
Coit Arts Academy is excited to host the 12-week Wellness Workshop before-school fitness and nutrition program. Running from 7:45 AM to 8:45 AM, the program is designed to help students explore and achieve the best version of themselves—physically, mentally, and emotionally. The purpose of the program is to provide select students with a structured outlet for them to let off some steam, and learn how to manage their health a few days a week before school starts. Studies show that a morning routine increases proficiency in school learning. According to the data, we expect the students to outperform their past selves when it comes to academic performance, attendance, behavior, and attitude.
Studies show that starting the day with physical activity will help our scholars have a fuller and more productive day. Those scholars that need to get some energy out and those that need a wake up boost will have the opportunity two days a week to receive these proven benefits. Although the other three pillars are not our main focus, we believe that there are numerous studies showing the benefits of physical activity and how it relates to academic success. There is also evidence that morning exercise has increased benefits to school work. Physical activity is also well documented to have numerous benefits socially and emotionally. Encouraging scholars to try new things, work as a team, and overcome obstacles and physical challenges are all great ways to build resilience. A potential “side effect” of this program will be scholars bringing healthy habits home with them. They may start to participate in more physical activities with their family/caregivers.
GRPS has a Strategic Plan that connects with the expected outcomes of the Wellness Workshop such as: Reduce academic disparities for Black and Latino scholars, reduce Black scholars exclusionary discipline, and increase scholar empowerment, belonging, and agency. The strategic themes in the Strategic Plan of GRPS connect with our program outcomes through their first theme to meet holistic scholar needs. Their fourth theme to enhance curriculum program opportunities. And through their sixth theme to create a culture of trust, collaboration, and stewardship.
Overall, each approved Extended Learning program is promised to bring some much needed, holistic health and wellness to the youth of West Michigan. If you are a parent of a child who attends a Grand Rapids Public School, I recommend that you ask about these upcoming programs and sign them up for whichever program you feel fits your child the best. These programs offer more than just an increase in the health and wellness of the child. They also offer the parents some valuable time to now get to work on time for a few days because there is now a program that is open before school starts.
We want to thank everyone involved in making programs like the Wellness Workshop more than a possibility, but a necessity. We can be sure that Team Get Fit LLC will deliver an exceptional program to the youth at Coit Arts Academy this year. With the combined efforts of Grand Rapids Public Schools, the Office of Extended Learning, Kent School Services Network, and all Extended Learning program vendors, West Michigan is taking a huge leap into being a provider of health and wellness for youth.
Below are website links to Team Get Fit and the research that supports the potential academic benefits of an early morning fitness and nutrition program.
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