74 Started. 71 Finished. And What a Summer It Was!
by Cheryl Finnerty
When I look back at the 2026 Soleful Kicks Summer Challenge, one thing immediately comes to mind: Wow. These kids really went for it!
As the Program Coordinator for Soleful Kicks, I had the unique and amazing opportunity to watch the Summer Challenge unfold from the very beginning with a front row seat. I wasn’t just keeping track of credits; I also got to follow the adventures, read the stories and see the pictures that came in throughout the summer. And let me tell you…there were a LOT of pictures!
I saw kids hiking, swimming, kayaking, walking, volunteering, exploring, learning new skills, spending time with their families and finding all kinds of creative ways to earn their credits.
I also got to see something even better, the smiles! And some of the biggest smiles were when they finally reached their goal and received their shoes.
74 kids started the Challenge and committed to reaching their goals. By the end? 71 finished! That’s a 96% completion rate and the whole team at Soleful Kicks could not be more proud.
But behind those numbers are 71 individual stories of kids who kept going. Once they got started, they really didn’t stop!
The Stories Behind the Credits
The goal wasn’t simply to get kids moving. We wanted them to have fun, get outside, spend time with their families, serve their communities, try new things, and maybe discover an activity they would want to keep doing long after the Challenge ended. And that’s exactly what happened.
One Summer Challenge mom, Olivia Suarez, shared:
“I feel that my son and daughter gained motivation to be active. During the summer life is so busy and it is very easy for them to be indoors watching TV. But this challenge definitely motivated them to be outdoors.”
That is such a wonderful reflection of what we hoped the Challenge would accomplish.
Of course summer doesn’t always cooperate with our plans! Rainy days, hot days and plenty of those ‘it’s just too hot to do that today’ moments meant families sometimes had to get creative.
Angie Spong, Summer Challenge mom shared:
“It was fun to come up with new activities when the weather thwarted our original plans. We also started a new family tradition of Sunday morning nature walks that I hope we’ll continue.”
And honestly, that’s one of my favorite parts of the entire challenge. Families spending family time.
The Challenge may have started as a summer activity but for some families, it became the beginning of new traditions.
One Challenge mom told us:
“We loved the Family Walk activity because it encouraged all of us to be more active and spend time together.”
I loved seeing those family moments in the pictures. Parents walking alongside their kids, siblings completing activities together and families finding time to get outside and enjoy each other’s company.
Nabila Usman, a Summer Challenge parent shared:
“It was (a) wonderful experience with Soleful Kicks summer challenge. My kids were very excited to complete the activities and earn the credits. They have enjoyed competing (with) each other as siblings. Family walking time was most important for us.”
And yes, I’m sure there was a little friendly sibling competition happening along the way! But that’s what made this Challenge so much fun to watch. Every family made it their own.
Watching It All Come Together
From my perspective, one of the most rewarding parts was watching those credits come in, 727 in total when all was said and done. At first you see a few activities. Then a few more. Then suddenly a child is getting close to their goal. Before you know it, their goal is achieved and they are picking out their shoes!
I got to see those moments through the pictures and messages families shared and it never got old.
The credits were really just the beginning. The kids were building confidence. They were trying new things. They were getting outside. They were spending time with their families. They were giving back to their communities.
And most importantly, they were learning what happens when you set a goal and keep working toward it. You can always do more than you think you can. That’s the lesson and encouragement I hope every one of our participants takes away from this summer.
And then, of course, there was one more very important part of the journey…The shoes! After all those activities and all those hard-earned credits, the kids got to choose a new pair of shoes. As the shoe orders started coming in, I got to see what everyone picked and I have to say, they had some great choices! There is something pretty special about knowing that every pair of shoes represents a summer of effort, adventure, and accomplishment.
Beyond the 2026 Challenge
The 2026 Soleful Kicks Summer Challenge may officially be over but the memories and hopefully some of those new habits will continue on.
74 kids started. 71 kids finished. Countless activities were completed. New adventures were discovered. Families spent time together. New traditions were started. And a whole lot of smiles were shared.
As the Program Coordinator, I feel incredibly lucky that I got to see it all unfold from my front row seat.
I’m so proud of our 71 finishers! But I’m also proud of every Summer Challenger who took that first step and said, “I’m going to do this.” It was inspiring for me and really is something we can all learn from. Because sometimes the biggest accomplishment isn’t crossing the finish line. It’s deciding just to start, sticking with it and not giving up along the way.
What an impactful summer it was!I hope these Challengers keep moving forward, one step, one goal and one adventure at a time!
That’s awesome! Love that you guys are offering a tangible incentive that inspires the kids to stay motivated!
What an impact Soleful Kicks has made on so many kids. Enjoyed reading this blog and how they motivated so many. Keep up the good work.