LEE, Mass. — Students at Lee Elementary School discovered how to channel their ninja spirit both inside and outside the classroom during a Neighborhood Ninjas presentation on Friday.

 

The motivational assembly explored how to not fear failure, overcome negative thoughts, be confident in your abilities, and not let other peoples thoughts defer you from your goals. 

 

We are so quick to doubt our ability; rather focus on the process. Ability will come from focusing on the process, Neighborhood Ninjas Executive Director Alex Katz said. 

 

Individuals have to decide that even if others do not believe in them or see their vision, they have to believe in themselves, she said. "It's not about never failing; it's about getting back up, trying again, and learning from each attempt."

 

Katz showed students her journey of overcoming her fear of heights, which inspired her to take up the ninja warrior sport, in which athletes run a timed course of physical challenges. The entertainment/reality competition originated in Japan and is probably best known here as "American Ninja Warrior."

 

On the big white screen, she projected her numerous attempts to lache — swinging from one bar to another — until she succeeded the 17th time and attributed her previous failures to fear. 

 

"I am a big fan of doing stuff that scares you safely. That means we practice it. A lot of people think ninjas don’t get scared. We hear things like 'ninjas are just fearless'... but we do get scared," Katz told the students. 

 

"But, the thing that we practice the most is how we work through that fear." 

 

There is a growing need for social-emotional support among increasingly younger students so the school takes any opportunity to develop competence for them to feel empowered, confident, and successful to support well rounded students, Superintendent of Schools Michael Richard said. 

 

"[Physical education teachers] Jennifer Carlino and Julia Warner have done a remarkable job in terms of engaging with community partners and making sure the kids are exposed to many opportunities," Richard said. 

 

The presentation got students excited about how to learn to overcome obstacles in their life and change their mindset to be more positive, especially when faced with something difficult, Carlino said. 

 

In 2018, a team of American Ninja Warrior athletes established the nonprofit Neighborhood Ninjas, offering scholarships, mentoring, and community events that aim to instill resiliency, confidence, and tools to overcome obstacles. 

 

Since its establishment, the organization has served thousands of kids across America, said. 

 

In school, Katz was a three-sport varsity athlete and scholarship kid. However, when she qualified for her first world championship she couldn't afford to go. 

 

This experience is not uncommon — that's how the idea for Neighborhood Ninjas was born. Building on its scholarship program, a mentorship program was soon added, and in 2024, its first ninja fit playground was built in Wilmington, Del.

 

The playground is a 15-obstacle course designed with teens in mind. 

 

"Traditional playgrounds are built for up to age 12 and most kids age out of them but we created something that you can actually age into, which is super fun," Katz said.  

 

Now, Neighborhood Ninjas, in partnership with the Lee Youth Commission, is trying to duplicate these efforts with the hopes to build a NinjaFit playground at the Lee Athletic Field. 

 

"The outreach that this ninja program has done to our community has been very far-reaching, and I think that the not only the messaging of being physically active and enjoying an active lifestyle, but also the mentality of never giving up and learning through your failures, are beautiful messages for our community, Warner said.

 

The park and the programming there will be free to the public. Learn more about the project and how to donate or sponsor an obstacle here. 

 

"I'm really excited to get this playground built and see all the ways it will positively impact the community everywhere from having this free and accessible resource for whole families to be active together, to programming and how that’s going to positively impact the town," Katz said.  

 

So far, Neighborhood Ninjas has raised 70 percent of the total cost of about $300,000. Once it has met its goal, it will hold a community build day.

 

Katz hopes to present at other schools in the county, which would be donation-based, with all proceeds going directly to the playground.

 

"I want it to be accessible for all the schools. So, I've been doing school speaking for a while, and typically schools will pay me to come in and speak, but because of the project, I want every student to be able to get the message and so I am donating time," she said.

 

"But if a school would like to contribute to the project and do that in that way, since a lot of times they do pay for speakers to come in — that's just another way that schools are able to give back, and they're getting a service in exchange." 

 

Katz said the brain learns four times faster through play and movement which is why she loves the playground. 

 

By incorporating activities like self-talk, reframing, and managing fear into these programs, students, teens, and adults can practice and reinforce these techniques in real time, she said.