Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/109814
Vol. 33, No. 4 INSIDE How should the State support its public interests? Page 10 n n n Encourage students to enter HCR contests Page 14 n n n How should your dues dollars be spent? Pages 11-13 THE VOICE OF THE DELAWARE STATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION February 2013 ���I did it because she can���t,��� affirms Christen Osika ���She��� is Victoria Soto, the teacher at Sandy Hook E.S. in Newtown, Conn. who died protecting her firstgrade students. hristen Osika, a first-grade teacher at South Dover E.S. in Capital, is a ���CrossFit��� member. She and 40 of her ���CrossFit Sweat Angel��� exercise partners in Camden often honor fallen heroes with special workouts that are symbolic of their respect for the fallen hero. ���Our national CrossFit organization sends us what they call Workouts of the Day Some of these are . Hero workouts that challenge us to complete particularly difficult exercises in honor of a fallen soldier. These Hero workouts are grueling, even gruesome, as if you yourself were in combat. Most take between 45 minutes to an hour to complete.��� Typical CrossFit exercises, says Osika, are normally 20 minutes or less. (For more, go to www.crossfit.com.) Mike Hoffmann, a fitness enthusiast and vice president of DSEA, is part of this Camden CrossFit group. ���When you finish a Hero workout, you are on the floor gasping for air, but you���re also thinking, ���At least I am here. I can do this.������ In late December, CrossFit chose Victoria Soto as their fallen hero. ���I knew I had to do this one, so I put C The educators in the CrossFit group include Terianne Utley, school counselor (seated); Christen Osika and Mike Hoffmann (center); and Ashley Knotts (back left), teacher at Kent County Community School; and Debbie Judy, assistant principal in Smyrna. Green and white are Sandy Hook Elementary School���s colors. out a notice that I would lead this WOD (Workout of the Day), and had great response,��� says Osika. It was very emotional, she says. ���You didn���t have to be a teacher to have it touch you. Some of us are educators, and all of the others are either parents themselves or middle and high school students.��� On December 29, 2012, CrossFit enthusiasts across the nation honored Victoria Soto with this Hero WOD dedication: 10 Thrusters (The tragedy happened in Room 10.) 14 Box Jumps (It happened on December 14.) 12 Sumo Deadlift Highpulls (It happened in December.) 12 Burpees (It happened in 2012) 27 Kettlebell Swings (Victoria was just 27 years old.) Go back and repeat these five sets of exercises five times! (Victoria was a teacher for just five years.) Adds Osika, who has a son in Kindergarten, ���We plan to make this Hero workout in honor of Victoria an annual event. We don���t want to ever forget.���