I CHALLENGE MYSELF INC
712 W 184TH STREET NO C, NEW YORK, NY 10033 www.ichallengemyself.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: I CHALLENGE MYSELF ENCOURAGES AND SUPPORTS PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO EMBRACE CHALLENGES AS OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN AND GROW, TO DEVELOP HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AND PREPARE FOR COLLEGE AND THE WORKFORCE.

I CHALLENGE MYSELF'S YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS PROVIDE YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES TO STRENGTHEN THEIR BODIES, MINDS AND SPIRITS. OUR THREE NONCOMPETITIVE SPORTS-BASED-YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS ARE CYCLING SMARTS, 4TOFIT AND COLLEGE BIKE TOUR. IN FISCAL YEAR 2020, I CHALLENGE MYSELF'S FITNESS, CYCLING AND CAREER READINESS PROGRAMS SERVED APPROXIMATELY 371 6TH-12TH GRADE STUDENTS, AGES 10-19, ENROLLED IN SIX PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH BRONX, WASHINGTON HEIGHTS AND THE LOWER EAST SIDE. THE ORGANIZATION PARTNERED WITH SIX NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS LOCATED IN MANHATTAN AND THE SOUTH BRONX. THE DECREASE IN STUDENTS SERVED FROM THE PREVIOUS TWO FISCAL YEARS' TOTALS OF 700 AND 631 STUDENTS WAS DUE TO THE DISRUPTION OF IN-PERSON PROGRAMS DUE TO COVID-19. THE ORGANIZATION DID OFFER ITS PROGRAMS REMOTELY FROM MARCH TO JUNE 2020, BUT FOR A SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED NUMBER OF STUDENTS. PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE TO EVERY STUDENT ENROLLED AT PARTICIPATING HIGH SCHOOLS REGARDLESS OF ATHLETIC OR ACADEMIC ABILITY. 4TOFIT IS A PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PE) CLASS THAT GUIDES STUDENTS THROUGH 4 PHASES: CONTROL, MOVEMENT, STRENGTH AND POWER, PROVIDING THEM THE BUILDING BLOCKS TO LEAD AND MAINTAIN A FIT AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. STUDENTS WORK IN GROUPS TO CREATE AND LEAD A WORKOUT, AS THE END OF PHASE CHALLENGE. STUDENTS COLLECTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN AN ESTIMATED 419 HOURS OF PROGRAM HOURS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.CYCLING SMARTS INTRODUCES OUR STUDENTS TO ENDURANCE BICYCLING AIMED AT HELPING STUDENTS INCREASE PHYSICAL FITNESS AND ENDURANCE, IMPROVE SAFE CYCLING SKILLS AND INCREASE THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF NUTRITION. STUDENTS COLLECTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN AN ESTIMATED 384 HOURS OF PROGRAM HOURS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, CULMINATING IN A 100-MILE BIKE TOUR IN JUNE. IN SEPTEMBER 2019, THE ORGANIZATION WAS AWARDED A TWO-YEAR YOUTH ENGAGEMENT IN SPORTS (YES) GRANT FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO INCREASE SPORTS PARTICIPATION AND NUTRITION OUTCOMES AMONG MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF WASHINGTON HEIGHTS AND INWOOD, IN NORTHERN MANHATTAN. THE YES GRANT REQUIRED THE ORGANIZATION TO COLLABORATE WITH YOUTH SPORTS AND NUTRITION ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE A ROBUST PROGRAM. AS A RESULT, THE ORGANIZATION SUBCONTRACTED A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE SPORTS AND NUTRITION PROGRAMMING. THE YES GRANT ALSO INCLUDES A RESEARCH COMPONENT. EACH OF OUR SEMESTER-LENGTH PROGRAMS ARE INTENDED TO TEACH STUDENTS TO REACH BEYOND THEIR PERCEIVED PHYSICAL AND MENTAL LIMITS AND EMERGE ON THE OTHER END CONFIDENT, WITH A GREATER SENSE OF SELF-WORTH, READY TO TAKE ON THE OTHER CHALLENGES AWAITING THEM IN LIFE. EACH PROGRAM, BY HAVING THE SEMESTER CULMINATE IN A PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY CHALLENGING EVENT, GROUNDS ALL PROGRAM ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER. THESE END OF SEMESTER CHALLENGES (1) PROMOTE EFFORTFUL CONTROL AND TEST STUDENTS PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ENDURANCE, (2) ALLOW STUDENTS TO SET GOALS AND DEVELOP STRATEGIES AND TACTICS TO PERSIST IN REACHING THEIR GOALS, (3) TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO WORK AS A TEAM DURING INDOOR ACTIVITIES AND OUTDOOR BIKE RIDES, AND (4) RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE OUR STUDENTS' PERSEVERANCE, ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND PERSONAL GROWTH.THE ORGANIZATION DID NOT HOST A COLLEGE BIKE TOUR IN SUMMER 2020 DUE TO COVID RESTRICTIONS. DATA FROM CYCLING SMARTS STUDENT FOCUS GROUPS CONDUCTED BY AN EXTERNAL EVALUATOR REVEALED THAT STUDENTS WERE VERY VOCAL ABOUT HOW THE PROGRAM HAS IMPACTED THEM POSITIVELY IN MANY WAYS STUDENTS REPORT FEELING STRONGER BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY FROM THE CHALLENGES THEY FACED IN THE COURSE STUDENTS HAVE BECOME MORE MOTIVATED TO STAY FIT, EAT HEALTHIER, AND WORK HARDER. CYCLING SMARTS HAS CLEARLY BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN HAVING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON STUDENTS' LIVES. THE 4TOFIT STUDENT FOCUS GROUP CONDUCTED BY AN EXTERNAL EVALUATOR REVEALED THAT STUDENTS LIKE THE GROUP DYNAMIC AND VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES PROVIDED IN 4TOFIT AND THINK THE CLASS IS MORE FUN AND USEFUL THAN PRIOR PE CLASSES. THEY REPORTED THAT THE WORKOUTS THEY LEARNED IN CLASS HAVE HELPED THEM WITH OTHER SPORTS AND TO RELIEVE STRESS, THAT THEY ARE MAKING BETTER FOOD CHOICES, AND THAT THEY ARE MORE CONFIDENT. A SURVEY OF I CHALLENGE MYSELF ALUMNI CONDUCTED BY PRO BONO EXTERNAL EVALUATORS SUGGESTS ICM HAS POSITIVELY AFFECTED THE ATTITUDES TOWARD UNDERTAKING CHALLENGES, PERSISTENCE IN LEARNING NEW THINGS, AND THE VALUE OF TEAMWORK AS WELL AS THEIR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HEALTHY NUTRITION AND FITNESS.

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