Greater Clark again taking steps toward health

Clark County

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Parkwood Elementary School kicked off the Greater Clark County Schools' Mileage Club program Friday with an assembly. All elementary schools participate in the eight-week program that measures steps taken with pedometers. First-grader Jarek Beatty, above, cheered when learning the grand prize for the winning school is a trip to the Jeffersonville Aquatic Center. Staff photo by C.E. Branham
Teacher Cara Adams and other members of the Parkwood Elementary School staff performed a dance routine to help kickoff the Greater Clark County Schools' Mileage Club program. The program begins Monday and runs for eight weeks. Staff photo by C.E. Branham
Ashley Warren and the Parkwood Elementary School cheerleaders help kick-off the Greater Clark County Schools' Mileage Club program on Friday. Staff photo by C.E. Branham

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March 9, 2013

Greater Clark again taking steps toward health

Pedometer program kicks-off next week

NEWS AND TRIBUNE newsroom@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Sat Mar 09, 2013, 07:44 AM EST

JEFFERSONVILLE — Greater Clark County Schools’ Wellness Committee will launch the GCCS Mileage Club program starting Monday, March 11.

About 5,000 Greater Clark elementary students will participate in an eight-week pedometer program to increase their activity level and improve overall health, according to a press release. Students will be challenged to have their steps count toward incentives that will be awarded on a weekly and monthly basis.

During the program, the students will write down the number of steps registered on their pedometers each week and make an effort to increase the total. At the completion of the program, one elementary school will receive a grand prize.

The committee designed the Mileage Club to achieve the following goals:

• Motivate students to exercise.

• Help students control body weight.

• Help students burn off excess energy.

• Improve academic performance.

• Build self-esteem.

In 2006, the Greater Clark board adopted a Wellness Policy to support increased emphasis on nutrition as well as physical activity at all grade levels and to enhance the well-being of the school corporation’s students. To promote student wellness, committee adopted the following provisions:

• Nutrition education — The goal of nutrition education is to influence students’ lifelong eating habits.

• Physical activity — The goal of physical activity is to promote lifelong physical activity among students.

• School-based activities (environment) — The goal is to provide a school environment with a consistent wellness message which is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.