Towanda Elementary Students Walk to Fight Obesity
Last Update: 12/13/2006 5:24:16 PM
Posted By: Rachel Rose
It's 8 a.m. Wednesday.
Rather than sitting at their desks in the classroom, scores of students from kindergarten through the 6th grade are out walking a half-mile or more.
"We run around the track a couple times and then we go back to our classrooms," said Elizabeth Schultz, a 2nd Grader at Towanda's Elementary School. "I think it's fun because you ca get out and get energy."
Five to ten minutes is all it takes.
It's all part of a brand new health and wellness program in the Towanda School District. The goal is to get a head-start on the fight against childhood obesity.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 16-percent of the nation's children between ages 6 and 9 are obese.
But, because that number is a startling 52-percent in Towanda's elementary school, district officials call it an epidemic.
"I think the walking program helps to keep them active physically and to make them realize that it feels good to feel good," said Elementary Principal Pamela Hosterman. "It feels good to exercise."
School officials hope that walking will also clear students' minds so they can do better on their schoolwork. And so far, teachers say it's working: as soon as they're finished doing their laps outside, the kids come back inside and hit the books.
"They open the books, they get right into it, they're quiet," said Shawna Wygrala, a 5th grade teacher. "They're calmer, it seems like. Because it gives them a routine in the morning."
Students agree.
"I feel more focused," said 5th-grader Carly Chaffee. "It's fun and I like it and I hope we do it for the rest of the year."
School leaders say they do, in fact, plan to continue the program through the new year. In fact, come January, they'll offer a 15-minute "walk with the principal" at the end of the week to students who've exhibited outstanding school performance.
Moreover, the health kick at Towanda has gotten so big that the district will launch an indoor walking program for the entire community! School Superintendent Diane Cantellops says the goal is to get parents, grandparents, and even those without children to get smart about exercise while getting the chance to view the work of the children on display in the halls.
The adult indoor walking program will run Jan. 2 through April 30 from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. and again from 4 p.m to 6 p.m. every school day. To participate, you must register at the main entrance of the elementary school. Walkers may follow a mapped-out three-mile walking route, or take a route of their own. No pets are permitted.
For more information, e-mail the school superintendent at
dcantellops@tsd.k12.pa.us.
Childhood Obesity in New York