Boo Grace and her husband Cecil Grace founded Operation Positive Role Model in 1992. The Foundation promotes positive behavior among schoolchildren as well as combating childhood obesity. "Too often", says Boo Grace, "good kids are overlooked while those who either excel athletically or academically and those who get into trouble get all the attention.”
“The all-around good kid who does a good thing for another kid or another person, those kids are the ones that we want to recognize,” said Grace.
The Mildred E. Strang Middle School in Yorktown Heights, New York is leading the way to prevent “Bullying” among the students. At the beginning of this school year, the middle school’s Bullying Prevention/VIP committee introduced “Rachel’s Challenge” to their students and staff. “Rachel’s Challenge” is the story of Rachel Scott who was the first person killed at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. Their primary goal is introduce tolerance and kindness among the entire middle school.
With scholarly levels declining in our schools and with drugs and delinquency burgeoning, Cecil and Boo decided to try to influence the dialogue of our teenagers in the direction of good instead of evil. Operation Positive Role Model creates a volunteer group of student judges who examine student nominations of other students who have been Good Samaritans over the year. Those students selected by their peers each receive a one thousand dollar award. The Positive Role Model Program expended over 40,000 dollars in the last 6 years and is growing rapidly.
Boo Grace is also the author of “I’ll never be hungry again—Slim Satisfied and Sexy at 56”. Her love of calorie counting and making simple food delicious has made her look amazing.
I sat down with Boo Grace to ask her a few questions:
Your name is so unique. Where did you get it?
It's a childhood nickname.
Where were you born?
In New York City. I grew up in Darien, Connecticut.
Who is your role model?
Oprah Winfrey
What made you start Operation Role Model?
Seeing that scholars and athletes are the children who get recognition, while regular 'good kids' don't.
What do you think our nation can do about the epidemic of child obesity?
Read my book!
What do you love about New York?
Its vitality
What is your greatest fear?
I have none
What do you do for fun?
Watch TV
What is your favorite book?
Lord of the Flies