Students at Stewardson-Strasburg Elementary School have been challenged to run or walk 4,500 miles and they are eager to get started in hopes of receiving a rock climbing wall to add to their gym.
Stewardson-Strasburg principal Justin Deters, and Sarah Bush Lincoln Healthy Heroes ‘Sasha,’ and ‘Ian,” announced the challenge during a special assembly at the school on Monday, January 7. This challenge is part of Sarah Bush Lincoln’s Healthy Kids Education program and is designed to motivate kids to keep active and develop healthy habits. The rock climbing wall is funded through a $4,500 grant from WomenConnected, a women’s giving circle made up of 85 women within the SBL Health Foundation.
Students from kindergarten to fifth grade will begin logging the miles they walk or jog through April. Each kindergartner has a personal goal of walking or jogging four miles each month, first graders have a goal of logging five miles each month, second graders are asked to log six miles each month, third graders commit to seven miles a month, while fourth and fifth graders work to log eight and nine miles a month respectively. Students are also rewarded with prizes for reaching various milestones and students logging the most miles earn a spot on a ‘Wall of Fame.’
“We are really working on improving the health and wellness of our students,” Deters said. “We have recently made upgrades to the outdoor equipment, but really need something to keep the kids moving during indoor recess and the rock wall would keep the kids active and give the teachers access to indoor brain breaks as well.”
If the students reach their goal of 4,500 miles by the end of April they will receive a traverse rock wall to add to their gymnasium. Elementary schools in Shelbyville, Neoga, Arcola and Oakland have also participated in this challenge and received a rock wall in past years.
“This will be an exciting challenge for the students to reach their personal goal each month and work toward a collective goal that will benefit so many for years to come,” Laura Bollan, Sarah Bush Lincoln Healthy Communities director, said.
For more information about Sarah Bush Lincoln’s Healthy Kids Education program, call Healthy Communities at 217-345-6828. For more information about WomenConnected and how you can support programs like this, contact Amy Card at 258-2511.
Photo cutline:
Principal Justin Deters gets his students excited about the Healthy Heroes Challenge.