Locust Students Win Visit from Harlem Globetrotters

Students in Anne Hayes’s first grade class won a NCSC essay contest about healthy living that brought the entertaining hoopsters to Garden City Feb. 17.

March 6, 2011

Pictured here with the winning Locust class and the visiting Globetrotters are representatives of the Nassau County Sports Commission (NCSC), Adam Ellis, member NCSC board of directors (left) and Bryan Revello, NCSC executive director (right), the Harlem Globetrotters CHEER Essay Contest sponsoring organization. 

In a very clever acrostic poem, students in Anne Hayes’s first grade class at Locust cinched an essay contest win that brought two members of the Harlem Globetrotters to the school for a visit on Feb. 17.

Entered by physical education teacher Mike Caparella, the poem encouraged physical exercise, good character and stressed the importance of making good choices.

“Scooter” Christensen and “Zeus” Stewart, Harlem Globetrotters for six and one year, respectively, entertained the students with their iconic basketball point-of-the-finger spin and promoted healthy eating, daily exercise and good character.

“The best part of our day is doing this,” said “Scooter." “We are ambassadors of good will and love promoting a healthy mind and body, and making people smile.”

And smile Locust students did as they asked questions of the world-touring Globetrotters. "When did you begin playing basketball?" "How many countries have you visited?" "How tall are you?" These were just a few of the questions students asked during the hour-long program.

The district would like to thank sponsoring organization the Nassau County Sports Commission, and Harlem Globetrotters “Scooter” and “Zeus” for making this special appearance possible!

The winning poem:

Take time to eat healthy and exercise for fun.

Healthy foods include fruits, vegetables, milk, whole grains – choose a few, not just one.

Exercises include running, jumping, stretching, playing – we’re just saying . . . 

Harlem Globetrotters are great role models for everyone; we can learn from the best.

Anyone can learn to eat right and play a sport – get off the couch – don’t just rest.

Ready, set, GO, GO, GO

Life is living, learning and laughing, so . . .

Eat healthy, exercise every day, be proud of the life you live.

Make sure you share with others and give.

Good character traits develop when you work as a team.

Learn how to play a sport and practice the skills; don’t run out of steam.

Only you can make the right choices for you.

Basketball, soccer, football, track will do.

Everyone needs to make it a goal

To make the commitment, not in part but whole.

Remember that you can make it happen.

Only you can decide to be a player or maybe even the captain.

Together as a team, the Globetrotters work and exercise.

They eat right, have fun and those are not lies.

Exercise takes commitment and time.

Run, jump, skip or climb.

See if you can be like the Harlem Globetrotters and challenge yourself to eat right and exercise!

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