Published: October 19, 2008 09:20 pm      

HEALTH: Students get jump start

Kids in local schools participating in fitness challenge

LOCKPORT — Some third, fourth and fifth grade students at Royalton-Hartland Elementary School lined up in the gym on Friday with a jump rope in hand and a record of their recent activities in the other.

Jumping rope was just one of many activities the kids have done over the last few weeks. Kids 14 and under from over 170 schools in western New York have been doing the same thing and keeping track of every activity for the Independent Health “Fitness for Kids Challenge.” The idea is simple, to encourage kids to be active and teach them healthy habits. And it seems to be working, as some of the Roy-Hart kids have done plenty so far.

Ava Bligh, a fourth grader, said she had gone swimming and done some gymnastics since the challenge started. Ava said she has been outside a lot too.

“I like it because you’re doing what you want to do,” she said. “I like to feel the breezes too.”

Fellow fourth grader Phil Amedio was wearing his Roy-Hart Rams football jersey while jumping rope. Aside from playing football, Phil has been doing other things as well to stay active.

“I took the dog for a walk,” he said.

But few have been as active as third grader Maddisen Glena. Maddisen turned in her fourth log Friday and didn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Since the challenge began at the end of September, Maddisen has played horseshoes, rode her bike, gone on walks and jumped on a trampoline.

“It’s healthy for you,” she said. “I’m going to keep going too.”

Roy-Hart isn’t the only school in the area that is participating. Kids at Starpoint Intermediate, Roy B. Kelley Elementary, DeSales Catholic and St. Peter North Ridge Lutheran Schools are also in the challenge. The kids keep track of their everything they do, including gym class, walking the dog or playing outside, and record them in a log of up to 12 activities.

Physical education instructors David Schopf and Joan LiPuma are in charge of the program at Starpoint. The school had over 50 forms turned in, and some students turned in multiple ones. LiPuma said the challenge also includes weekly challenges making healthy choices.

“If they choose to have an apple instead of a bag of chips, that counts,” she said.

Roy B. Kelley physical education teacher Charlene O’Neil said the response has been pretty good with over 30 logs in three weeks turned in from the school. She said the challenge also had prize drawings which would give kids an incentive to get those logs filled out. The more they have, the better chance they have of having one log pulled and winning a prize.

“It gives them a little motivation,” O’Neil said. “Gets them a little excited to do more.”

Students can win a New Era “59Fifty” cap with the Fitness for Kids Challenge logo on it or a challenge T-shirt, which about 100 will be given out every month. There is a big drawing at the end of the challenge in May, with prizes for both a student and their school. Kids can win one of 10 Fisher Price Smart Cycles or a Nintendo Wii Fit game for the grand prize. A participating primary and secondary school from each of the eight counties in western New York wins $1,000.

Carrie Meyer, executive director of the Independent Health Foundation, said the challenge began about five years ago as a traveling after school program. Independent Health provided healthy snacks and staff to run the program, but it was only able to serve a few students. So this year with the 20th anniversary of Kids Run and First Night Buffalo, Independent Health wanted to tie both with the challenge somehow. Structuring the challenge by having kids, parents and schools provide activities touches more kids. Prize drawings will be done at both events.

Fitness for Kids instills healthy habits in kids which is needed with child obesity on the rise. But there is another benefit Meyer said.

“Parents need to be involved,” she said. “There’s some things you can do but still be active, and get up and move instead of watching TV right after school. Parents and kids can do things together, just walking and playing outside is a great activity.”

Meyer said schools still have time to sign up, and Independent Health is looking for photos of kids being active or making healthy choices. The photos will be showcased on the Web site. More information about the challenge can be found at the program’s Web site, www.fitnessforkidschallenge.com.

Contact reporter Joe Olenick

at 439-9222, ext. 6241.