He believes his health messages are reaching some. He recalls one boy who has become so enthusiastic about good nutrition that he regularly seeks out Kaseir to give him an update about his healthy eating habits. Kaseir acknowledges that it can be hard to get some children to pay attention. “They feel they have young bodies and they don’t need to worry,” he says. “I overcome the obstacles by being persistent and not losing focus.” Kaseir often talks about sports—especially hockey—as a way to connect with other youth. If that doesn’t work, he can grab their attention by explaining that good nutrition benefits the skin and hair. He also points out to them that if they are not healthy, they may miss school and other opportunities. Kaseir acknowledges that he doesn’t reach everyone. But he says he has a big advantage over adults in spreading health messages. “Kids pay more attention to other kids because they know where they are coming from,” he says. “They can relate to each other.” — By Ashley Abarca, Jordan Gomez, Kevina Harris, Rosendo Ramirez Menes, and Dante Thompson Eisenhower Healthy Panther 7 Illustrations by Stella Menzies, Whitehall Healthy Reporter