Member Spotlight: Krystal Kelly

              





   My name is Krystal Kelly, and I serve as a Physical Activity Educator at YMCA Dye Clay. At the beginning of my service at the YMCA, my goal was to encourage 5% of Clay County youth who are enrolled in YMCA Dye Clay School Age Service after school program to become more physically active, learn about good nutrition, and enhance behavioral skills to reduce obesity & chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. I am achieving my goal through the improvements shown in the Youth Fit for Life fitness testing results and youths’ positive feedbacks on their behavioral medication surveys. The target population for the YMCA Dye Clay Youth Fit for Life Program (YFFL) target population are 5 to 12 years old youth in 26 Clay County YMCA after school programs. YFFL is a physical activity & health behavioral change program, which is delivered at 26 after school sites in Clay County, YMCA, & during School’s Out Camps. I enjoy serving over 1,000 kids from 26 different Clay County schools. I research, develop, and implement health and nutritional activities lesson plans for all 26 sites in YMCA Child Care Sites in Clay County after school programs. I directly deliver the YFFL program three times a week as well. I also conduct YFFL fitness assessments and evaluation of behavioral modifications. Also, after school YMCA site directors deliver the YFFL lesson plan as well. The program consists of cardiovascular exercises 3 times per week in the form of fun and cooperative games. Resistance training such as push-ups, crab crawl, squats, mountain climbers, etc is administered twice per week. I also discuss nutrition topics three times per week prior to physical activities. Youth love playing games such as Sharks & Minnows, Fish Gobbler, Statues, Octopus Tag, Captains Coming, etc.    

My goal is to continue to see improvements in body mass index (BMI), strength, endurance, and body composition. I enjoy serving with youth in Clay County and being a part of the YMCA Dye Clay family. Also, I am very supportive of my youth.  I have seen several of the youth who had little self-confidence or were reluctant to become physically active now adhere to YFFL successfully and develop friendships.  I am excited and joyful to say that all of my kids at all 26 schools adhere to the YFFL program. Our youth are our generation.  I will continue to strive to make a difference in youth lives—even after my service.