MORRIS COUNTY

Jets, United Way give Dover school $50K fitness zone

Michael Izzo
@MIzzoDR
Members of the New York Jets unveil a PLAY 60 Fitness Zone playground with 35 students from Dover Middle School as part of the NFL’s 17th annual Hometown Huddle, an NFL-wide day of service with United Ways across the nation. October 20, 2015, Dover, NJ

DOVER - Members of the New York Jets stopped by Dover Middle School Tuesday morning to unveil a $50,000 fitness center in the school’s courtyard.

The Jets partnered with the United Way of Northern New Jersey on the project, which was the team’s annual Hometown Huddle, an NFL-wide day of service where each team in the league partners with their local United Way organization to help a local neighborhood with a youth fitness project. Those projects range from building fitness zones and playgrounds to hosting youth football clinics.

“We are committed to giving children access to the tools they need to make healthy, lifelong choices,” United Way CEO John Franklin said. “This annual partnership with the New York Jets is a great way to show our children how they can incorporate healthy habits into their daily routines.”

In recent years for Hometown Huddle, the Jets have gone to Florham Park, where their practice faultily is located, Newark, and Montclair. This year guidance counselor Ana Rosa Acevedo brought Dover to United Way’s attention.

Theresa Leamy, senior vice president of resource development for United Way of Northern New Jersey, said Dover was chosen as this year’s Hometown Huddle neighborhood because it’s an ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) community.

Leamy said 53 percent of Dover residents fall under United Way’s ALICE measurements for financial hardship, as opposed to 40 percent statewide. The term describes families who have limited incomes but are employed.

New York Jets OLB Lorenzo Mauldin takes a selfie with students as members of the New York Jets unveil a PLAY 60 Fitness Zone playground with 35 students from Dover Middle School as part of the NFLÕs 17th annual Hometown Huddle, an NFL-wide day of service with United Ways across the nation. October 20, 2015, Dover, NJ

"They’re the ones that are one emergency from falling into poverty,” Leamy said. “And these kids can look to the Jets as role models. The players can give them skills to ready them for high school and adulthood.”

Dover’s new PLAY 60 Fitness Zone, designed to encourage physical activity under the NFL’s PLAY 60 mission, includes five pieces of strength and cardio training equipment.

“This is an outstanding opportunity for our students to meet and be inspired by professional athletes as we strive to emphasize personal health and wellness,” Dover Superintendent Robert Becker said. This kind of donation of equipment and time by both United Way and the New York Jets will have a long lasting positive impact on our students and community for which we are greatly appreciative.”

New York Jets linebacker Taiwan Jones helps Brianna Mejia, l, and Nicole Espinosa on the parallel bars as members of the New York Jets unveil a PLAY 60 Fitness Zone playground with 35 students from Dover Middle School as part of the NFLÕs 17th annual Hometown Huddle, an NFL-wide day of service with United Ways across the nation. October 20, 2015, Dover, NJ

Tuesday morning, Jets players Deion Barnes, Jarvis Harrison, Julian Howsare, Taiwan Jones, Ronald Martin, Lorenzo Mauldin, Bryce Petty, Wes Saxton, Deon Simon and Devin Smith tested out the equipment with a select group of students.

The players taught the students how to uses the machines using proper form and showed them exercise they could do to get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day.

“Partnering with United Way and Dover Middle School to create this PLAY 60 Fitness Zone is important for us,” Jets Community Relations Director Jesse Linder said. “Our players are here today to contribute their time and effort for the good of the community and provide opportunities where children can get at least 60 minutes of activity every day.”

Ny Jets rookie quarterback Bryce Petty cheers on Madison Morris as she does chin-ups as members of the New York Jets unveil a PLAY 60 Fitness Zone playground with 35 students from Dover Middle School as part of the NFLÕs 17th annual Hometown Huddle, an NFL-wide day of service with United Ways across the nation. October 20, 2015, Dover, NJ

The 35 students out of the 900 at the K to 8 school were selected out of a raffle, which students were entered into if they committed random acts of kindness. Students had to be in at least fifth grade to be eligible due to the size of the exercise equipment.

Principal Tawana Clarett said there were hundreds of entries in the raffle.

“We wanted all students to be a part of it, but the courtyard simply isn’t big enough for that,” Clarett said. “The contest ran for a week and everyone had a chance to be chosen if they were caught performing a random act of kindness by a teacher or student.”

Ny Jets rookie quarterback Bryce Petty takes a selfie with students as members of the New York Jets unveil a PLAY 60 Fitness Zone playground with 35 students from Dover Middle School as part of the NFLÕs 17th annual Hometown Huddle, an NFL-wide day of service with United Ways across the nation. October 20, 2015, Dover, NJ

One student chosen was sixth grader Jayon Stewart, a Jets fan who Clarett said had multiple entries for helping his sister, who is in Kindergarten at the school, and for being a generally good role model for his peers.

“It was very interesting,” Stewart said. “All the players were so tall and really cool, helping us to work out.”

The players split up, one or two covering each machine or area as the students rotated through. Each came up with fun activities for the students to do at the stations, from competing against one another to counting the number of reps they could do.

“This is a unique experience, for kids to be taught by world-class athletes,” Linder said. “And Dover will get to use this equipment now in phys ed, at recess, and I’ve been told the staff plans to use it on their own too.”

New York Jets FB/LB Julian Howsare helped out Catalina Fernandez on the elliptical machine Howsare and other members of the New York Jets unveil a PLAY 60 Fitness Zone playground with 35 students from Dover Middle School as part of the NFLÕs 17th annual Hometown Huddle, an NFL-wide day of service with United Ways across the nation. October 20, 2015, Dover, NJ

Clarett said the fitness center won’t just be used for gym class, as science and even social studies classes have plans to integrate the equipment into their lesson plans.

“The courtyard has been transformed,” Clarett said. “It was not utilized much before and this gives us a reason to use the space.”

The hundreds of students who weren’t selected lined the windows in the hallways and classrooms surrounding the courtyard to watch the students and athletes exercise, some holding signs and of course shouting the occasional “J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets” chant.

Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@GannettNJ.com