East principal losing by example

It's a common adolescent nightmare. All of a sudden you are standing in your skivvies in front of the entire school. But for some, getting on a scale in front of the entire student body would hardly be better.

However, to reach his goal of losing 100 pounds this school year, East High Principal Paul Sagers has done just that every two weeks since last fall. And though the deadline is looming he is still on track for victory, shrinking nearly 80 pounds with a starting weight of 336.

"If a doctor were to tell me that if I didn't lose 100 pounds I would die, that would be motivation — but not as much motivation as this because I could still do it or not do it because it's just one doctor," Sagers said. "I feel like here, my whole world is watching ... I have 1,400 students, more than 100 faculty and 150-plus staff, and every day I have people checking in with me."

It all started during the job interview before he was named principal of the school. He was asked what personal goals he had and replied that he wanted to lose 100 pounds before graduation.

Shortly thereafter the PTA approached Sagers with a few ideas, and the Dr. Sagers Fitness Challenge was born.

Hundreds of students at the school have pledged to complete a goal surrounding the number 100 — walk 100 miles, participate in 100 workouts, run 100 laps before the end of the year. The reward is a Raging Waters trip at the end of the year.

The challenge was kicked off last fall by a mile run with Sagers and about 150 students. They noted their times and hope to beat them in this spring's run.

Meanwhile, Sagers has returned to the track every day at 5 a.m. to run with his assistant principal Martin Yablonosky. He has gone from jog/walking one mile to making it about four miles a day.

And the pounds consistently have been falling off.

Sagers said he loses an average of three or four pounds a week, and if that keeps up he should be at his goal by the deadline, May 28.

Every other week he weighs in in front of the student body while tracking his weight loss. Subway Restaurant also jumped on board, kicking in free sandwiches as incentives for participating students as well as a free sandwich for Sagers for each pound he loses.