School Visit At Brookfield Academy: Power of Sports In Student Life

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The first ever Athletes For Tots Outreach Program experience took place at Brookfield Academy on March 16 in a 4/5th grade classroom. It was a 15-minute interactive presentation to inspire kids to get active and join a sport!

At our first school visit to Brookfield Academy, I spoke with students about my journey in sports — starting from dance and gymnastics at age 4 and eventually finding my passion in Taekwondo. I shared how being a student-athlete has shaped my life, not just by keeping me physically healthy, but by giving me confidence, unforgettable adventures (from hiking waterfalls to eating out to traveling the world) and friendships that will literally last a lifetime! We talked about the real-life skills sports help us build — from time-management and perseverance to leadership, respect, and teamwork. Through games like Simon Says and interactive questions, students explored how movement can be fun and meaningful. The biggest takeaway? Sports are more than exercise and sweat! They’re a powerful way to stay happy, make lifelong memories, and grow into strong, confident leaders. We talked all about what sports can really do for your life — not just make you sweat! I shared my own story of growing up trying dance, gymnastics, and swimming before falling in love with Taekwondo and getting the chance to travel the world competing (yes… even all the way to Korea!).

Here is an outline of the presentation highlighting the biggest takeaways:

• Exercise: to be physically, mentally, and emotionally strong with a healthy mindset!

• Travel: (tournaments = mini vacations with the team!) ✈️

• Family and Friends: training with my sisters; my team has become my second family

• Skills: time management especially, building confidence and consistently persevering

Students got to play a game of Simon Says, try fun movement challenges, and see how sports can feel just like playing games — except you're also becoming stronger, happier, and healthier without even realizing it!

-Viktoria Chernolutskiy