REGISTRATION FOR SUMMER CAMP AND CLASSES NOW OPEN
4700 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22302, United States
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About Our Program
The Whole Child
emPOWER kids is more than a fitness program. We are dedicated to building strong bodies, minds and hearts. Our curriculum focuses on overall physical well-being, mindfulness, and social-emotional connections with peers.
Positive Environment
We want every child to feel loved and welcome in class, free to be themselves. Our program respects every individual and encourages all participants to support peers in their personal growth. Instructors bring positive energy to class and use language that encourages a growth mindset.
Celebrate Genuine Wins
While we love to get excited when kids learn new skills, we celebrate the real wins during class - kids showing empathy, making friends, overcoming fears, sharing how they feel, taking turns, cheering on classmates, expressing gratitude and all the little moments in between.
Our Team
Jenni Hogan
Jenni started emPOWER kids in 2020, after the COVID-19 crisis changed our lives. Like so many others, she felt the call to give back to the community in a meaningful way. She recognized a void in extracurricular activities for kids, programs that focus on overall wellness. While fun and fitness are most common, mental and social-emotional health programs are rare. In bringing these wellness areas together, emPOWER kids was born. Jenni brings over a decade of experience coaching recreational and competitive gymnastics, and Elementary Ed background, and is currently pursuing her RYT 200 yoga certification. She lives in Arlington with her soccer-loving husband Jim, two kiddos Reese & Dylan, and their COVID-kitty Cobi.
Vanessa Olson
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Vanessa became a gymnast at age 3. After years of competition, she transitioned into weight lifting and coaching in high school, which sparked her interest in Kinesiology. For over a decade, she's explored the world of meditation, yoga and mind-body connection, and recently completed her Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology from George Mason University. She is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist from NSCA. When she's not coaching at the gym, you can find her personal training adults, spending as much time as possible outdoors with her pup Loki, or enjoying Mexican Food!
suzi west
Suzi West was born and raised in Chicago, but moved to Virginia just in time to start high school in Arlington at Yorktown High School. Her Bachelor's degree in Spanish is from Frostburg State University. In 2016, she earned her Master’s in Educational Leadership. She comes to EmPOWER KIds with 21 years of experience working with children, as a Spanish teacher and as a director of after school programs. Suzi is passionate about Social Emotional Learning and the Developmental Assets. She was selected as an inaugural fellow for the National AfterSchool Associations Social Emotional Leadership program. Suzi is excited about developing new partnerships and growth opportunities for emPOWER kids. When she is not working, Suzi loves spending time with her nieces, going out to dinner with friends, and making plans to travel.
Nadia parada
Nadia was born in Pennsylvania and raised a little bit of everywhere as an Air Force brat. She started
gymnastics at the age of three and was competitive for 11 years. In cliché gymnast fashion, she
transitioned to CrossFit and weight lifting after. As the oldest of 9, kids have always been a huge part of
her life. She comes to emPOWER kids with over a decade of experience coaching competitive and
recreational gymnastics, and is currently pursuing her doula certification. Coaching has taught her the
importance of valuing the child over the athlete and she truly loves helping kiddos grown into great
humans. When she’s not coaching, you can find her soaking up as much vitamin D as possible, travelling
when she can, and trying out new coffee shops.
Ronica Crevecoeur
Hi! My name is Ronica Crevecoeur, I’m 27 years old, and I was born and raised in Alexandria,
Virginia. I am a veteran preschool autism classroom (PAC) teacher in Fairfax County, and I
will be starting a special education doctorate program in the Fall. Inclusivity, diversity, and
PLAY are my passions. Fostering environments where our neurodiverse friends have a safe
environment to explore, be silly, and have fun is the goal!
I have a background in competitive gymnastics, cheerleading, and dancing. I represented
the College of William and Mary as a Cheerleader during my 4 years of undergraduate
studies. During this time, I had the opportunity to mentor, coach, and volunteer with multiple
populations of children and adults. It was beyond meaningful to me, so meaningful in fact, I
took up coaching cheerleading at Hayfield Secondary School. I am currently the head JV/F
coach, and look forward to having my team members join the emPOWER family of
volunteers as well.
In my free time, you can find me on a walk or hike with my dog Toby, curled up with a good
book, or trying new recipes in the kitchen. Feel free to stop me at the gym or shoot me an
email with any questions or concerns! I look forward to getting to know you!
Coach Ellie
Coach Ellie is a junior at Bishop Ireton High School. She has done gymnastics growing up and is currently a captain of the BI Varsity Cheerleading team. Working with kids brings me so much joy and I love watching them progress through our classes! I'm looking forward to the fun activities ahead and am excited to meet you!
Coach Kimmie
From Oklahoma City and 1 of 11 kids, Kimmie is a former college swimmer with a background in gymnastics, dance, and cheerleading since the age of 6. She enjoys being outdoors and spending time with her cat and dog. Kimmie is excited to be a part of our team and looks forward to providing a fun, safe learning environment.
Coach Abby
Coach Abby has been a volunteer with emPOWER kids since the begining. She can almost always be found helping with OST Camps, or assisting with classes.
Coach Meg
Hi I’m Meg! I’m a rising senior in highschool and I’ve done gymnastics for more than fourteen years at Barcroft. I absolutely love working with kids, and seeing them achieve goals inspires me even more. Hope to see you around!
Coach Lucy
Lucy is a rising 6th grader and has been a competitive gymnast since she was 5 years old. She lives in Arlington and enjoys playing field hockey, swimming and hanging out with her friends. Lucy loves working with young children to help them reach their goals of being amazing gymnasts!