"Push Yourself" to Make a Difference
By: Tina Shively
Updated: March 2, 2011
For Paul Valenti, its all about hope, and motivation.
"I think great things can happen if kids are encouraged to do things and kind of leave their comfort zone."
That sentiment is the driving force behind a social movement called Push Yourself.
Valenti started it six years ago after confessing to a friend that he was going through some tough times.
The response changed his life.
"He said 'Look, things will work out, you just need to keep going, you just need to push yourself'," Valenti added. "So I just started living that motto, and any time things got tough to just have a positive attitude about it."
Today Push Yourself has 4 pillars that encourage people to improve themselves through physical, social, environmental and intellectual aspects.
On the Push Yourself website, anyone can post what they've done to make a change in themselves or in their community.
In the real world, Valenti tries to lead by example by bringing it in the classroom, and above it.
On this snowy school day in January, the health teacher stood on top of Webster-Schroeder High School and helped students collect donations for a local women's shelter.
Weeks later, he lead a crowd right into Lake Ontario to raise $3,000 for Special Olympics.
Even Tina was inspired enough to leave the camera way behind and take the Polar Plunge.
Ben Cross is fellow teacher, and a Push Yourself Polar Plunger. He said "It's really spread now, and more and more people are getting involved. And that's what we're looking for, just to make the world a better place."
The Nazareth College Soccer Team also took the Polar Plunge with the Push Yourself crew. Captain Liam Connolly said "Just go the extra mile every time. When you feel like stopping just take the extra step, and keep moving."
Valenti says that combination of heart, mind and body is really what being fit is all about today, and into tomorrow.
He added "I hope that it just grows so more and more people understand the philosophy, get involved with it, and leave their comfort zone to make a positive difference."
To find out how your family can get involved with Push Yourself, click here.
