All American, NCAA Division I Steeplechaser, Marisa Howard, visited the kids from Roosevelt Elementary recently. Marisa is not only a fantastic athlete, but by day she is a school nurse! After her visit she explained why she loves giving back to kids in Boise, ID.

Why do you volunteer?
I wanted to volunteer because I wanted to make a connection to the community that has backed my running career. Boise is such an awesome place to live and train and I want people to know that. Getting these students active and thinking about their health at a young age is super important so they can start these habits and build on them into adulthood. I am a part-time school nurse, so it was awesome having both my worlds collide.

What draws you to Let’s Move Active Schools?
The main thing that draws me to this cause is the lack of activity that children are involved in these days. Between long school days and the pull of technology, kids aren’t outside playing like they used to be. I want to stress the importance of getting outside and finding something that you enjoy. My best and favorite part of my day is when I get to lace up my shoes and enjoy the beauty of the trails and I would hope that some of these students can find that same joy in running or any form of exercise.

What was your favorite part of the day?
My favorite part of the day was when we played the tunnel of love! The PE teacher showed me this game where the students all line up and make a tunnel with their feet and hands touching the air and their bottoms in the air, like a reverse V-up. Then a student had to crawl through the tunnel and add onto the tunnel on the other side. The gym was way too crowded but we improvised and the kids made it work! I also enjoyed answering all the questions they had at the end of the visit.