...AND THE SUMMER SESSIONS COMES TO AN END!

As the last week of the Summer Session comes to an end, the Older Girls group experienced bikram yoga and step aerobics. They were very honest and expressed how hard yoga was. They exclaimed how hot it was in the room and the difficulty in doing some of the poses. And yet, they tried each one of the poses.
Step aerobics was on Wednesday. This they enjoyed. It had great music., an energetic teacher and a mirror to see themselves move. They all thought of it as danced. They sweated, drank water, toweled off and got right back into the groover. They clapped. They kicked. They had fun!
With the last group experiencing a "Summer of Fitness Through Movement," it's time to move on to session two with stilt walking. Let's see what that brings!!

Mr. Reggie with Diamond Johnson, Kayle Manning, Breonna Vincent, Ayonna Moore, Ty'Jaih Gill and Brittane Vincent!

BUGS Farm Stand!!

It's really happening! The BUGS Farm Stand at Living Classrooms Foundation will be set up TODAY, Wednesday July 21st, from 12:30-2:30.
Organic produce! Fresh products like pesto, pickles and salad dressings! Big smiles from kids REALLY excited to sell you some healthy food!
802 S. Caroline Street 21231
Hope to see you there!

BUGS STEP AEROBICS

MORE STEP AEROBICS WITH MR. REGGIE

The Middle School Girls had a step aerobics class with Mr. Reggie. He is instructing them on how to place your foot on the step before they began any of the step phrases.
The girls really thought it was going to be easy when Mr. Reggie demonstrated some of the step aerobic phrases. After Mr. Reggie very easily showed the movements, Taleyah says, "Mr. Al, I really like this!" "Wait until it speeds up," I say to Taleyah. She exclaims, "It speeds up?" "It sure does!" Then Mr. Reggie puts on the music and it began!!
They moved all around the step. They laughed and enjoyed themselves as they completed the "L" Step, the Straddle with a Knee Lift, Knee Lifts and the Turn Step. Sweat came pouring down their brows. Water was gulped whenever they got a chance. It was fun, upbeat and energetic.
Mr. Reggie is below with Ronoah Johnson, Taylor Bennett, Angel Burton, Aijha Pack, Taleyah Little and Miyah Montgomery.

Farm Stand cancelled due to rain.

Thanks to everyone who came out last night and supported the B.U.G.S. Program at the Hamilton Farmers Market. I just wanted to put the word out that we have to, unfortunately, cancel today's farm stand in Fells Point due to the rain. We still plan on having the farm stand next Wednesday, so I hope we'll see you then.

BUGS BIKRAM YOGA

The second week of the BUGS Summer Program is underway and it began with the Middle School Girls taking bikram yoga. Bikram yoga is more commonly known as "Hot Yoga." The room is heated at 105 degrees. The class was taught by Ms. Becky. She has been studying and taking bikram yoga for 4 years. She has had the opportunity of teaching high schools and that experience has aided her in instructing middle and elementary school students.

The girls were instructed in the various poses of the Standing Series. They began with the Breathing Series. Their hands were interlaced under the chin with the elbows touching. As they inhaled, their elbows rose above their shoulders and for the more flexible students, above the head. As they exhale, the head was pushed back by the hands while making a "H" sound as the air was released through their mouths. Every series of poses were completed two times on each side - the right side and the left side. From the beginning, sweat dripped down the faces of the students but they persevered.
The girls tried every pose from the Half Moon: a pose with the arms stretched above the head, hands interlaced, index finger pointing upward and stretching to the right or left side while pushing your hips in the opposite direction. This allows for a full stretch from the fingertips to the feet. Standing Bow is done by balancing on one leg while grabbing the opposite leg from the inside of the foot and jetting yourself forward. Aijha Pack demonstrates the Standing Bow.
As Ms. Becky took the girls through the other poses, they tried The Eagle - an entanglement of the legs, The Awkward Pose - a balance pose with the legs apart flat-footed or on the toes where one sits on an imaginary chair, and The Triangle Series - where the legs are further apart, one leg bends, the other is straight, the torso is reaching over towards the bent leg while the same arm as leg is reaching downward, the opposite arm is reaching upward and the face is in profile. Lastly, the girls tried the Toe Stand. Angel Burton and Aijha Pack really succeeded in executing this pose.
Ms. Becky with Miyah Montgomery, Taleyah Little, Ronoah Johnson, Angel Burton and Aijha Pack.

Special thanks to Bikram Yoga Baltimore in the East Harbor for all of their assistance and great staff!

Hamilton Market Tomorrow and Farm Stand on Wednesday!!! Please join us.

Hi Again,

I just wanted to let everyone who reads this blog know that we will have delicious produce and student made foods available tomorrow (Tuesday) at the Hamilton Farmer's Market from 4 to 8 pm. I am also delighted to announce that we will have our first ever BUGS Farm Stand this coming Wednesday from 12:30 to 2:30 pm. If you are available during the day please stop by the Living Classrooms campus (802 S. Caroline Street, Baltimore, MD 21231) during this time. Students will be under a tent selling their produce directly.

Some items we plan to have at both the market and stand this week include:

From our organic students' gardens:

Chard

Beets

Green Peppers

and whatever else we can harvest.

From our kitchen (products made by the students using ingredients from their garden):

Sage Dip

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Raspberry Vinaigrette

Pickles

Dilly Beans

Pesto

Hope to see you there!

Cooking potatoes with friends pt. 2

Jailen was quite succinct in his description, so I thought I'd add a few words. Today the students did a wonderful job harvesting red, yellow, and purple potatoes from our garden, as well as chard, beets, and rosemary to cook with. As a team they cut the potatoes into fries and the beets into strips and tossed them in olive oil with rosemary and some other spices. The students had fun ripping the chard into little pieces and then simmering them in vegetable broth. A fun day here at BUGS. --- Mr. Jason

cooking potatoes with friends

Today we cooked potatoes into fries with rosemary made from our garden. We made chard in a pot. I thought it was fun and amazing. By JAILEN. Photos Daquan.

A SUMMER OF SPORT AND MOVEMENT FITNESS

As the BUGS Summer Program begins, students are having some new and different experiences. For this first session, they are being introduced to step aerobics. The students, above and below, were given an introduction to step aerobics by Mr. Reggie. He is a personal trainer at The Cooley Gym at John Hopkins Hospital. When we arrived, the boys quickly changed and gathered in the exercise room. Mr. Reggie introduced himself and then gave them the basics of step aerobics. They were taught the Basic Step, the "V" Step, Ham Curl, Single and Repeater Knee and the "Turn-Around." Step aerobics raises the heart rate, builds stamina and challenges your endurance. Along with those aspects, it also improves upon musicality, listening skills, coordination, stretch and mathematic skills. It also helps in understanding phrasing with movement. All of these aspects are important to dance and creative movement. With a big thank you to Mr. Reggie, a great time was had by all.

Summer Potato Harvest!!

First Summer Market in Hamilton

At the beginning of the farmers market we had to set up our stand and display the products that we were selling. That day we sold pesto, secret salad dressing (it's a secret, so don't ask), dill PICKLES, tea (peach lavender rosemary honey tea), herbs, greens (kale and rainbow chard), and beets. We forgot the tent so we had to go back to get it. By the time we came back we had sold a bunch of beets. By the end of the market, we had sold out of beets completely. At the market I met the vice president of Living Classrooms. I didn't know who he was and he tested me to see what I knew about BUGS. It's ok, I passed the test. The other stands had some beautiful products. One man sold stained glass that he made himself. Around 6:30 we ate some chicken and ribs that someone was selling at the market. People really like the iced tea, maybe because it was over 100 degrees out. Many customers said they were coming back the next week. (Written by Aijha Pack.)

Sauerkraut!

In order for us to make our sauerkraut we had to pick cabbagesssszzzz. THEN we washed them off, sliced them and shredded them, added salt to bring the water out, grabbed the cabbage and rung it out, and kept on squeezing and squeezing until the water came above the cabbage in the bowl. THEEEEN we put it all in one pot, pushed the cabbage down as far as it would go, put a weight on top of it and covered it to let it ferment and become SAUERKRAUT! (Written by Taleyah Little and Angel Burton.)