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Boy garners votes to fight childhood obesity, bullying
Submitted photo - Members of David Green's Intro to Martial Arts class watch a video about anti-bullying during class at the Little Elm Public Library.
By Emily Hill, ehill@starlocalnews.com
Little Elm's very own "karate kid" is working to inspire children around the nation to fight childhood obesity but he needs the help of local communities.
Until May 11, David Green, who teaches Introduction to Martial Arts every Tuesday at the Little Elm Public Library, is seeking votes for his video submission to the Lets Move! Communities on the Move Video Challenge.
The challenge invites organizations working with children to create a short video about their participation in Let's Move! and the efforts to reduce the trend of childhood obesity, encourage healthy eating and promoting healthy lifestyles.
"If you don't have a way out, you just have to stand up for yourself," Green said.
Green does not encourage his students in his class to use the moves he teaches them unless there is no way out of the situation and they must defend themselves against a bully, which plagues every school today.
With permission and support from author Kathy Noll of "Taking the Bully by the Horns," the video mentions statistics from the anti-bullying book such as one out of four children is bullied and one out of every five kids admits to being a bully. Another statistic is an argument with a bully will end up in a physical fight 80 percent of the time.
"Don't bully any kids at all because a really bad affect can happen," Green said. "It's a bad example because some kids look up to that person and copy them."
Not only does the class encourage anti-bullying, but it also helps students with ADHD and Asperger syndrome. Green shared a story about students who would leave in the middle of him teaching class. Now, they're staying and having a "great time" with the class. They've told Green "I feel a lot better and more confident since I've done this class."
Green said the short video submitted in the challenge took him and his dad Jeff hours to record the video, edit video and audio and add effects.
"It took us hours to get it," Green said. "Sometimes I'd mess up on the speeches."
The Greens are hoping to win first place or Popular Choice in the contest. First prize and Popular Choice award will give the winners an invitation for up to two representatives from the organization to attend a Lets Move! event in Washington, DC. The videos will be presented at the event and a $1,000 stipend will aid in travel.
The library will also be able to use funds awarded as it sees fit. Seven Honorable Mention winners will receive an invitation to a Lets Move! event in Washington, DC, and feature the video on the program's website.
"Vote for the recognition for our city, library, for the nation and youth of Little Elm," Jeff Green said.
The Greens are asking people to vote once a day, every day, until the polls close on May 11.
"What your vote does is it expands this information and this program to the youth of America," Green said.
To vote, visit http://communities.challenge.gov/. Click on "Video Gallery" and search for David Green's video "Intro to Martial Arts/Little Elm Library." People can vote once a day every day.
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