FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – On a snowy Friday in January after school is out, an enthusiastic group of students at Arlington Elementary School are busy learning the finer points of "Rock the Cradle," a famous yo-yo trick. There's no other place in the world these kids from the Arlington Yo-Yo club would rather be at 3:30 in the afternoon while other kids start their weekends. "It was my son Javier's idea to start a yo-yo club back in June," says Vince Munoz, a yo-yo enthusiast since the 1970s. "His friends came over and started playing with yo-yo's and thought it would be cool to start a club." "I approached Mr. Kirby, the principal, and the PTA, and they said, yeah, let's do it." Vince Munoz, the leader of the Arlington Yo-Yo Club talks with WANE15'S Pat Hoffmann while members of the club cheer him on. Munoz was more than happy to share his wealth of knowledge of the finer points of a craft he's practiced for over 40-years. "I remember how much fun it was for me as a kid," he says. "I took my yo-yo everywhere. It was my favorite toy." "It's like a second childhood for me. It sounds funny, but it's true." Vince's love for yo-yo's is shared by his son Javier, who says the idea for the club was a no-brainer. "He got me into yo-yo's and I thought it would be a nice thing to spread joy to others." "It feels really good to see the smiles of the kids and how they feel about it." Arlington Elementary 5th grader Javier(Vince's son) came up with the idea for a yo-yo club. Vince says once the word got around, "the kids just started signing up like crazy to be in the club." "I just think it's cool that the yo-yo is back," says Arlington third grade teacher Stacey Foust, who is also the mother of club member Connor, a fifth grader. "Arlington has brought the yo-yo back into 2024!" "Kids are learning new things," says Foust. "Some are learning leadership skills and teaching others at recess. It's spreading." Stacey Foust is a Third Grade Teacher at Arlington Elementary School and the mother of one of the students in the club. "When they learn a new trick, you can just watch the confidence level boost," says Munoz. "You can see the excitement in their eyes." Munoz says kids ask him all the time how he pulls off some of the more difficult tricks he does. "I tell them, you know how many times it took me to learn this trick?" "It took about 400-times in my living room." An Arlington Yo-Yo Club member practices a new trick. "It takes practice and a lot of dedication to get it all down." Munoz says the goal of the club was to give kids something different to do after school. "Through the yo-yo club, they learn perseverance, hand-eye coordination, dexterity, muscle memory, and it's a way for them to socially engage with others." The kids are soaking in the message. "You have to always try your best," says third grader Zylan Oskey. "If you try something new, you can always do it if you put your mind to it." Vince Munoz and members of the Arlington Yo-Yo Club practicing a group trick. Fifth grader Connor Foust picked up a yo-yo while hanging out with his friend Javier. "When I first grabbed it, I didn't even know how to throw it down and bring it back up," he says. "Now I can do "Double or Nothing" and "DNA" tricks." Munoz says another major benefit of the yo-yo club is, "no electronics." "Get the kids off video games," he says. "Off social media. Off the computer screens. Teach them to use their hands." Members of the Arlington Yo-Yo Club share a laugh with WANE15's Pat Hoffmann. Sebastion Belton, a fourth grader has bought in to the concept. "To me, it's just better than being on a screen," he says. "I love it." As Munoz watches the group of about 30 club members in action, he can't help but smile. "They're engaging with each other in a positive way," he says. "There's no bullying allowed. There's no putting each other down or making fun of each other. You either help each other, or you're out." As a parent and a teacher, Foust has seen the benefits of the club first hand. "A lot of the kids are now friends," she says. "They have a group. A club. Something to look forward to." "It's new and exciting," she adds. "The yo-yo is popular now." "The yo-yo is a cool thing!" Based on the laughter and joy in the room, it's easy to see the kids love the club, and they love their teacher. "He looks like Indiana Jones," says third grader Michaela O'Neil. "He's really nice and helps me a lot." Fourth grader Ben Hines looks forward to 3:30pm on Friday every week. "You get to do your homework later," he says. "And I get to play with my yo-yo more." Group shot of some of the members of the Arlington Yo-Yo Club. "What I get out of it is a smile and a hug, and laughter," says Oskey. "It just makes me feel so nice." Second grader Suah Smith is the youngest club member. She can't contain her smile when talking about Mr. Munoz. "He has a mustache," she laughs. "He's funny, and he's awesome!" The entire group erupts in laughter when O'Neil adds, "and he's old!" Munoz can't help but chuckle at that himself. "I don't know, I just like to see the kids have fun," he says. "There is so much hate and so much anger in the world, if I can just throw this out there and let these kids learn something positive and take their mind off anything bad in their life, I'm all for it." Munoz is hopeful other parents or teachers might see this story and invest in kids. "It takes one person that truly cares to lead many," he says. "That's what we really need." "It could be a sewing club, or whatever your passion is," he says. "Teach them life skills. Teach them useful things they can take with them." "I would love to see more clubs happen with Fort Wayne Community Schools." Arlington Elementary School is located at 8118 St. Joe Center Road on the east side of Fort Wayne. Munoz originally funded the club on his own and with the help of a dear friend, his sister and Nick Morken of Pulled Press Print Shop in Garrett to give the kids free extra yo-yo's and new club t-shirts. The motto of the Arlington Yo-Yo Club. The Arlington Yo-Yo Club meets each Friday after school from 3:30-5:00 pm.