Fit at the BGC
Submitted by wisdomuk on Tue, 12/02/2008 - 15:19.
Last updated on Wed, 12/10/2008 - 15:44.
Vital Stats
completed project
09/04/2008
09/25/2008
People Impacted:
150People Involved: 20
Project Video
The Problem
My generation is obsessed with video games, internet, and television. We hardly get up off the couch or from behind the keyboard. It is scary. In my community, the only time we are active is when we attend the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint. There, we play all kinds of sports including basketball, kickball, and volleyball. We still play video games but not all day.
According to Wikipedia, rates of childhood obesity are increasing. It is viewed as a serious public health problem. From 1980-2000, obesity among adolescents has tripled. In the United States, obesity is the second-leading cause of preventable death after smoking.
As a young person who enjoys video games and the internet, I also feel it is important to stay fit by being active. I plan to spread this message through a music video, something which my peer group can relate.
Why It's Important
My project is about what youth do to stay healthy and fit. It took place at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint. It took about four weeks to complete the entire project. First, I had to write my material for the song. Then, I decided we should have more talent on the song. I wanted to get kids attention, so I asked the staff could we make it into a video. I was extremely excited once I got the support of the entire Boys & Girls Club staff.
I wanted to get every young person in the Boys & Girls Club input on how they stay healthy and fit. I took a video camera and went around the Club to get answers. After that, I wanted to actually record the song making process. With staff assistance, I set up a recording area inside of the Boys & Girls Club. I had so much footage at the end of the day, I had to take it over to a computer for editing. Editing is a new area for me, so I sought help in order to come up with the final project. Overall, I am satisfied with how the project turned out.
The Plan Of Action
I am really into music and I had a pretty good idea of what it takes to make a great song. I really struggled with coming up with a chorus that was going to be catchy and fun. My goal was to keep it simple but make sure I mentioned the phrase “Fit at the BGC.” Once I finished the chorus, the verse I wrote came easy. I included athletes that I admired in my verse to highlight people who are physically active and cool at the same time. Lyrically, I was satisfied with the song.
When it came to the song and video production, I had great people at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint helping me put the song altogether. Bangtown Mobile Studio assisted with the production of the song and the video, including mixing and editing. Without their help, this project would have just been a catchy song with no music and video.
This project won top prize for the Small Steps Contest hosted by the Ad Council. It competed with other music videos on YouTube and gained the most views out of 30+ submissions. It granted me the opportunity to fly to Washington D.C. and meet Washington Wizards superstar Gilbert Arenas. I was surprised he knew the lyrics to the song.
How Can Others Get Involved?
During the Small Steps contest, the goal was to get as many YouTube views as possible to win the grand prize. At the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint, we did an activity that involved young people watching the video, then sign up for either a basketball skills challenge or a jump rope contest. I thought this was a positive way to encourage young people to be active, which is the purpose of the song.
Also, the song has also become popular at my school. Once I told my friends about what we were doing at the Boys & Girls Club, they went and watched the video online. A lot of them began to sing the song themselves. It became a number one hit. It even encouraged some of my friends who are interested in music to visit the Boys & Girls Club to make their own recordings.
I really would like for this song to reach as many youth as possible. Especially since the country has a problem with obesity and inactive youth. By winning the Key Change Grant, I would like to help the kids in the summer breakfast program by providing healthy meals to start their day. It will also be an opportunity to introduce more healthy program choices at the Boys & Girls Club.
Project Updates
No updates found!
Final Grant Update
08/3/09
Vance NewtonNumber of people impacted: 25
Describe the impact the grant had: It allowed the Boys & Girls Club to help cover the cost of the breakfast program. The Club services over 200 youth daily through its summer program.
Project highlights: The most exciting part of this project was when the video was put on youtube.com. I think that’s when I felt like a superstar. People from my school were watching the video, asking about the song, & wanted to know more about the Boys & Girls Club. It was also great to have people singing the words to a song I helped put together. I was amazed that my friends knew the song and actually liked it. I felt like I really made a difference. Lastly, helping the other youth at the Boys & Girls Club with their lyrics was a highlight. Many of them are not very social. But once they saw how much fun we were having with making the song and the video, it was easier for them to get involved.
How did the project unfold and develop? I wanted to do a music video that would encourage youth be active. I collaborated with the music and video production program at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Flint to come up with the song Fit at the BGC. Other youth from the Club wrote verses for the song as well. During the video, I wanted to highlight the things youth were doing to be healthy and active. The Boys & Girls Club provides various activities for young people, so the setting was ideal for this project. Also, other youth outside of the Club were exposed to the song. We were able to put it on youtube.com where area youth was able to view the video. The song has become quite popular amongst local schools.
Location
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