October 17, 2005

Making strides toward better health

The Duanesburg Elementary School community, including students, families and staff, participated in the Healthy Steps program from Oct. 17-26. The statewide campaign is designed to emphasize better health through exercise. Fifth-graders, like those pictured above, were required to walk (or run) one mile during physical education classes.

Duanesburg Elementary students are taking more steps than ever toward a healthy, active lifestyle. In fact, through the statewide Healthy Steps program, students, their families and school staff have pledged to walk at least 6,000 miles from Oct. 17-26.

Healthy Steps is a program sponsored by New York's Center for Healthy Schools that is designed to get students to increase their level of daily physical activity inside and outside of school.

This is the second year the Duanesburg Elementary School community has participated in the program and physical education teacher John Johnson said he considers it successful.

"Last year we walked a combined total of 2,902 miles," he said. "The students are doing a great job with it this year. They set their goals, were motivated, and they stayed on task."

At the beginning of the 10-day period, all students received a family-walking log to record their miles. Schools, like Duanesburg, were encouraged to track their miles online and compare their progress to local schools of a similar size.

Because they tend to take smaller steps, younger students, such as those in kindergarten and first grade, could walk up to a half-mile. Fourth- and fifth-graders were required to walk one mile, but the ambitious took it a few steps farther. "One fifth-grader completed three miles during one class," Johnson said.

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