Sean Butler: Creating Healthy Minds and Bodies

The years spent in primary school are particularly important to children’s long-term educational success. Sean Butler recognizes how best to reach the students in the afterschool program at P.S. 146 in the South Bronx, educating them about proper nutrition and the importance of embracing an active lifestyle. Engaging, interactive and fun, Sean has a positive impact on students.

This Nutrition Activity Specialist with New York Junior Tennis & Learning weaves adventurous storylines and catchy mantras into his lessons about health and wellness. For instance, he creates a space alien character to help elementary students grasp the importance of healthy living. The space alien travels a great distance to planet earth and laments bad eating habits. “The character talks about ‘sometimes foods’ versus ‘everyday foods’,” Sean says. “Sometimes foods” are those such as high-sugar beverages and other high-fat or salty sweets that one can have some of the time. But if a student is eating “sometime foods” all of the time, it weakens the body. Instead, the space alien recommends “everyday foods,” basic food group staples such as vegetables and fruits that should be enjoyed everyday. “If you are eating these ‘everyday foods’, you will have the energy to run, laugh and play, to do your homework longer,” he says. “The elementary-age kids love that story and have become highly aware of what foods are healthier for them.”

Sean also infuses hands-on experiences into lessons, which are part of NYJTL’s Healthy Living Initiative, which was designed with EmblemHealth and introduced at 16 afterschool programs in the city. The children work with him to make healthy dishes, such as black bean burritos, banana-strawberry crunch, and brain booster salads (with blue and purple vegetables known to boost memory retention). “I’m zany, and passionate about this,” he says. “I try to be as animated as possible. You have to be sincere and engaging with messages of healthy living with elementary students or it’s not going to work. You can’t talk about the benefits of healthy living and walk into the work place with an unhealthy meal from a fast-food restaurant. Children are very visual and your words have to match what they see in your instruction. Leading by example is the best way you want them to learn.”

A graduate of John F. Kennedy High School in the Bronx, Sean is a certified personal trainer who is studying at Lehman College to earn a degree in Exercise Science. A travel and wine enthusiast, he first joined NYJTL in 2009 as a Group Leader. He later was promoted to Activity Specialist, and soon after specialized in nutrition. “I know what the human body needs to keep working at an optimum level,” he says, “This is something I live every day; it’s my life.”

He interacts with students afterschool each weekday. All participate in light-workout physical activity lessons, and improve their thinking while they get their hearts pumping. “Kids like to jump around a lot,” he says. “So, I use a lot of Plyometrics; it’s engaging and fun. I call my lessons ‘Team Healthy Heart’. We have a chant where I say, ‘A healthy heart is a healthy what?’ and the students reply “A healthy brain’. There are two ways to keep kids healthy. One is through what they eat, and the other is through exercise.”

He segues into lessons about proper nutrition, explaining different food groups before closing each lesson by preparing a dish for students. He endeavors to change their thinking, and their habits, early in life so they can enjoy better health. “If you are in good health, you can pursue any dreams you have in life,” he says. “If you are in poor health, it can be difficult. I want my students to have a good quality of life.” Sean adds, “What motivates me is knowing that I am having a positive impact on the future of these children and the community by combatting health issues that plague the South Bronx, such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes, all of which are caused by poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle. I’m thankful to NYJTL for giving me this opportunity to help my community.”