Dillard Street Elementary's Boys on Track program keeps students healthy, focused

The runners donned their bright green shirts and took their places at the start of the race early Saturday morning. The Florida Hospital Winter Garden 5K was the culmination of four months of lessons to shape the bodies and character of more than two dozen fourth- and fifth-grade boys at Dillard Street Elementary School.

Led by administrative dean Steve Grnya, Boys on Track is in its second year at the Winter Garden school. Dillard already had Girls on the Run, a national program that encourages girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running — but when faculty members wanted to start a similar after-school program for the boys, they found there wasn’t one. 

So they created one.

The purpose of the club is two-fold.

“We incorporate character lessons and leadership skills and incorporate that with the running lessons,” Grnya said.

Boys on Track focuses on living a healthy lifestyle, maintaining a healthy diet, getting enough sleep and exercise, he said, as well as building role models at the school and building future leaders.

The boys meet with their coaches twice a week after school, learning how to become superstars both on the track and in life. Using the Couch to 5K program, Grnya takes a bunch of boys, most of them competitive and ready to sprint to any finish line, and teaches them how to pace themselves and build speed.

While they are learning how to gradually reach their maximum running potential, the boys are also receiving guidance on personal behavior and attitudes.

Boys on Track targets boys who could benefit from character trait training, but any male students in fourth or fifth grade can participate.

“We have kids who we know are excellent role models and are there to encourage, and we have boys who need to be there for the encouragement,” Grnya said.

This year’s program ended Saturday with the five-kilometer run through downtown Winter Garden. All of the club members who participated finished in less than an hour. One completed the run in 24 minutes, and another finished second in his age group.

The next step is to take part in a community service project, though Grnya hasn’t decided what that will be.

This new program is certain to spread to other schools, he said. Tim Frank, a former assistant principal at Dillard and now an assistant principal at Westbrooke Elementary School, is ready to start Boys on Track at his school next spring.

KEEPING ON TRACK

These are the members of this year’s Dillard Street Elementary Boys on Track: Jaydon Arias, Grant Athens, Christian Baerga, Carlos Bedolla, Cruz Bocanegra, Tavion Calabro, Saul Carrasco, Gabriel Castro, Alexander Cid, Luis Cisneros, Xander Clifton, Padraic Conlan, Brighton Cook, Collin Cook, Raul Gonzalez, Dylan Isaac, Fadil Jawad, James Jenkins, Gabriel Martin, Donato Mazzaluna, Jozeph Nieves Ortiz, Jack Rainville, Sean Reid, Ashton Sanders, Bryce Sanders, Calvin Sanders, Ethan Santiago, Jayden Terrell, Joaquin Torrez, Logan Turner, Terrell Walden and Caleb Webster.

Seth White, a school tutor, has coached this season’s club with Grnya. Also offering assistance are second-grade teacher Beth McGinley, fifth-grade teacher Brittany Mills, behavior specialist Susan Henley and Principal Katie Boyd.

Contact Amy Quesinberry Rhode at [email protected].