Success Story: Charter School and Private Academy in Person County are Taking 10!
The new focus on childhood obesity and it's link to inactivity has added pressure on schools to insure that students have many opportunities throughout the school day to be physically active. When we think about encouraging children to be more physically active, we think about sending them outside. Without adequate facilities, providing opportunities for students to be physically active is a challenge for most schools, especially during the winter months. Personnel at Bethel Hill Charter School and at Zion Christian Academy recognized that weight was already an issue for some of their K-6 students. They also realized that some of the students had the potential to be at risk for overweight and felt the need to address these issues. These schools do not have the resources and facilities that the schools in the county system do. Their resources primarily support the core curriculum courses and daily operations. Zion Christian Academy does not have an indoor recreational facility which presented a challenge in providing physical education classes. Realizing the need to provide children the opportunity to be physically active, the Health Promotion Coordinator from the Person County Health Department partnered with school administrators, teachers, Person Memorial Hospital and Healthy Personians to explore ways they could get the students moving.
"He loves it (Take 10!®). He said he wanted to do all of the activities with our family. We already did most of them at home."
Parent, Bethel Hill Charter School
"The students and staff have really enjoyed the Take 10!® Program. We really look forward to participating in it again next year. Thank you for all your help and hard work."
Teacher, Zion Christian Academy
The Road to Success
The Project team applied for and was awarded an Eat Smart Move More Community grant through the NC Division of Public Health and chose to implement the Take 10!® curriculum, which is a program integrated into the standard course of study that provides 10 minute bouts of physical activity to children during the school day in the classroom setting. School Administrators from both schools welcomed the program by signing an official Resolution of Understanding agreeing to implement the curriculum in K-6 classrooms at least 3 days per week. After teachers were trained on the curriculum, students were introduced to the program through a kickoff event. Special guests, including Wool E. Bull, the Duke Blue Devil, Sparky the Fire Dog, and the Cat in the Hat, helped lead students in their first Take 10!® activity. Excitement about the program grew even more as students and faculty in both schools received a goody bag with a Take 10!® t-shirt. Approximately 300 students returned to school after their Thanksgiving break to find themselves "taking 10" at least 3 days a week. Teachers tracked Take 10!® participation using posters and stickers provided in the curriculum. Posters were submitted to project partners and reviewed for compliance every 10 weeks. At the conclusion of the school year, teachers completed a questionnaire to provide program feedback. They also administered assessments to students and distributed parent surveys.
Teacher and parent surveys revealed that the students really enjoyed the program. The activity breaks helped students to refocus during long academic blocks. Some students requested Take 10!® activities when they were not done on particular days and several parents mentioned that their children have demonstrated some of the activities at home. Another parent commented that her son liked to see the teachers exercise. A fourth grade teacher took the program a step further by assigning outside play time as part of her students' homework. Most teachers surveyed agreed that they were interested in continuing the program in the new school year. They were pleased with the quality of program materials and would recommend the program to other teachers and schools.
From reviewing the parent surveys, the idea of developing and implementing a Healthy Homework Project was spawned. When asked about Take 10!®, one parent indicated that her child's teacher went so far as to assign outdoor play as part of a homework assignment, providing an indication that parents were becoming more informed about the curriculum. After months of planning, Person County's FAN (Fitness And Nutrition) Club anticipates implementing this new initiative in at least 5 schools in January 2006.
Stepping Stones
- Support from the school administration is vital for program success.
- Teachers want programs that are easy to implement and require minimal documentation.
- The project coordinator needs support and assistance from local agencies to successfully implement community projects.
- It is wise to have a Resolution of Understanding signed in case project responsibilities are not being met. They are great reminders of ones commitment to a project.
Contact Information
Name, Title: LeighAnn Creson, Health Promotion Coordinator
Agency: Person County Health Department
Address: 355 A S. Madison Blvd.
City, State, Zip: Roxboro, NC 27573
Phone: 336-597-2204, ext. 2277
Fax: 336-597-3367
Email: lcreson.pchd@personcounty.net
