Phoenix Fourth Grader is a Great Leader on the Playground

Jose Acosta, 10, of Phoenix, is a role model for the young students of Capitol Elementary School. Acosta, who was shy at the beginning of the school year, has found his voice as a Junior Coach for Playworks Arizona and is using it to help others. The fourth grader leads K-2 students in games and social emotional skill building activities on the playground. He goes above and beyond to be there for kids during recess and he helps his teachers too. When a new student from Honduras arrived, he volunteered to serve as a translator.

Acosta is such an exceptional mentor that he will be celebrated as a High Five Hero by Playworks Arizona at the nonprofit’s annual High Five Fundraising Breakfast on Thursday, Feb. 21. Acosta will be honored alongside two Playworks Arizona partner schools, Joseph Zito Elementary and Jacobson Elementary, and long-time corporate partner the Scottsdale Airport for the company’s commitment to using play to bring out best in every kid.

This is Acosta’s first year as a Junior Coach. The Playworks Junior Coach program gives select fourth and fifth grade students the tools they need to navigate through school and through life. As Junior Coaches, students lead peers through games during recess on the playground. Wearing Junior Coach T-shirts and carrying whistles, they work with Playworks coaches to help classmates engage with one another, develop teamwork, inclusion and conflict resolution skills, and have fun, while building their own self-confidence and leadership skills.

Through his training as a Junior Coach, Acosta has learned how important it is to encourage his young peers on the playground and be a supportive role model for them. “Mentors are people who are always there. I try to be there for other kids on the playground,” says Acosta. “If I see them crying, I am there to be with them so no one gets in their business. I stand with them and I am there for them.”

Erin Mahoney, 27, of Phoenix, has worked for Playworks Arizona for two years, and serves as the site coordinator at Capitol Elementary. Site coordinators receive training on group management, new games and their implementation and how to address conflict on the playground. They pass these tools down to the Junior Coaches they mentor during bi-monthly trainings.

“Jose is coachable and always wanting opportunities to grow,” says Mahoney. “He goes the extra mile to show kids that they are important. He makes every meeting and brings light and laughter to the team. He is always in uniform, making new friends, and encouraging students to have fun!”

Playworks Arizona, part of a national nonprofit, partners with elementary schools, school districts, and afterschool programs across the country, providing the tools and resources needed to ensure that every kid, regardless of race, socioeconomic background, or athletic ability, experiences safe and healthy play every day.

“At Playworks Arizona, our goal is to create a culture of play that enables kids to feel a real sense of belonging,” says Kerryann Tomlinson, Executive Director of Playworks Arizona. “The Junior Coaches empower kids to be leaders and serve as mentors for the younger students to model positive, inclusive behavior.”