Olympic gold medal gymnast Dominique Dawes swung into PS 6 to talk to fifth-graders about health and exercise on Sept. 21.
Roughly 150 students filled the Flatbush campus’s schoolyard to participate in fitness activities and gorge on healthy-eating advice during a question-and-answer session with the athlete, who has worked as a health advocate since retiring from professional sports two decades ago. And teaching youth about good living is as much of a rush as competing on the world stage, the three-time Olympian said.
“I’m so excited to be here,” said Dawes. “I have an opportunity to travel around the nation while educating and empowering kids on the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, and the importance of physical activity.”
Dawes’ was a part of the 1996 U.S. gymnastics team — nicknamed the “Magnificent Seven” — and became the first black woman to win a gold medal in the sport. Her rise started with eating right, she told kids.
“Looking back at my life and thinking about what helped me what be successful — it was really about moderation and surrounding myself with good people,” said Dawes, who came in part to tout a healthy snack company.
