Students at St. Christina Elementary School danced, ran and hopped their way to fitness during the school’s inaugural Fitness Fun Day on Oct. 18.
Held in partnership with instructors and coaches from St. Xavier University (SXU), the event featured a variety of fitness and nutrition classes for students in grades pre-kindergarten through eighth along with raffle prizes and goody bags that were created with a healthy twist.
The program ran from 8:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. and included a break for a “healthy” brown-bag lunch that students were asked to bring from home.
Initiated by St. Christina Roman Catholic Church Pastor the Rev. Larry Sullivan, the Fitness Fun Day was a departure from the school’s track-a-thon event that has been held for the past 28 years. At the track-a-thon event, students walked around the perimeter of the building for monetary pledges before dining on hot dogs and playing carnival games.
The Fitness Fun Day included the track-a-thon, organizers said, but also allowed students to sample classes in Zumba, sports training, kickboxing, nutrition, basketball, bike safety and guided imagery—a technique used by natural or alternative medicine practitioners to help patients heal their bodies and relieve stress.
Sullivan, who is a member of SXU’s Shannon Center, which includes a fitness center, an indoor running track and two recreation gyms, said the planned activities were designed with both education and fun in mind.
“It’s important for all of us to learn how to take better care of ourselves,” Sullivan said. “God wants us to take care of our bodies.”
In his opening remarks, Sullivan told students that, despite his mother’s urging to eat an apple and play outside, he often sat inside watching television and eating potato chips after school. These days, he said, he exercises a minimum of four times a week and works out with a personal trainer.
“I had to work really hard to break bad habits and start making good habits, like eating more fruits and vegetables and exercising,” he said. “I know that if I want to thank God for my health, these are the things I need to do.”
In an e-mail, Shannon Center Facility Director Jennifer Quinlan said she was thrilled to help coordinate the day’s events as part of first lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move program that was launched in 2010.
“The program promotes opportunities for children and adolescents to learn the importance of physical activity and nutrition in schools and in their community,” Quinlan said. “St. Christina is a perfect example of how a school can come together to support its youth.”
Quinlan said she has dedicated the past 15 years of her career to creating health and fitness initiatives, and she believes St. Christina is blazing a new trail in its method of educating students on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
“I think St. Christina is the first school to dedicate an entire day to this, and I’m sure other grammar schools in the area will soon follow,” she said.
The healthy living message was reinforced at St. Christina last week by integrating the event into Red Ribbon Week, a national drug prevention campaign that is typically held the last full week in October. Kathy Immordino, a St. Christina teacher and the student council liaison, said school officials opted to move Red Ribbon Week up a week to coincide with the fair.
Students celebrated Red Ribbon Week by creating posters and wearing themed attire, including team jerseys on “Team Up Against Drugs” day, hats on “Put a Cap on Drugs” day and sweatshirts and sweatpants on “Being Drug Free is No Sweat” day.
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