Gym Program Gets Kids Up, Active
Students Learn Dance Moves, Tae Kwon Do
UPDATED: 9:30 am CDT May 23,
2006
  Elementary schools are turning to non-sports activities such as hip-hop dancing and martial arts to help kids stay active. |
BOSTON -- Nearly one-third of all children in the U.S. are overweight, and 15 percent qualify as obese.Boston television station WCVB reported that if these kids don't change the way they eat and exercise now, they face a potential for high blood pressure, diabetes and heart problems later on.Now, Massachusetts is rewarding dozens of schools that get kids up and active with a program called Every Body Move.Gym class isn't exactly dodge ball and jumping jacks at the McGlynn Middle School in Medford. The sixth-graders are learning hip-hop dance moves and working up a sweat."It's fun because some people don't like doing sports, and maybe they like dancing," student Bianca Nargi said.The school is able to pay the dance teacher and a Tae Kwon Do instructor through a grant from the Governor's Committee on Physical Fitness and Every Body Move.The program focuses on incorporating simple activities into everyday life to motivate inactive kids to exercise. The state awarded 26 schools grants of up to $7,500 each."The goal of the grants is to really get kids active and moving on a daily basis and to really drive home the importance of everyday activity and the health benefits that come along with that," Governor's Council on Physical Fitness spokeswoman Valerie Salvatore said.While they're having fun, the kids are also learning about the benefits of exercise -- a lesson that will hopefully stay with them as they get older."It keeps you healthy and keeps you moving," student Danny Dangora said."This really helps us exercise and gets us motivated for our next class," student Amber Casey said."I think it's a developmental building block for kids, and I think what they start now, they'll continue throughout their lives," McGlynn Middle School Principal James Deveney said.McGlynn Middle School knows fitness is a family affair, so they're also hosting student-parent cooking nights to encourage healthy eating and taping exercise videos with the kids at school that they can take home and do with their parents at night.
Distributed by Internet Broadcasting. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Texas license plates have a new look and another character, KPRC Local 2 reports.
A Houston Fire Department captain asked for the public's help finding the man suspected of killing his daughter, KPRC Local 2 reports.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi shuts the door to a resolution honoring Michael Jackson because debate on the symbolic measure could raise "contrary views" about the pop
star's life.
U.S. marshals and police arrest more than 1,400 fugitives and cleared 1,654 warrants during a monthlong cooperative between federal, state, and local law enforcement in
South Texas.
July 8, 2009: A bar that's had its liquor license pulled and where police have looked for sex trafficking victims is raided, KPRC Local 2 Investigates reports.
July 8, 2009: Detectives believe a group of thieves has been breaking into homes and stealing thousands of dollars worth of jewelry. Elizabeth Scarborough reports.
July 4, 2009: While the focus of the Fourth of July is usually on barbecue and fireworks, one local veteran wants to make sure we pay tribute to the true patriots who have served our country. Alana Gomez Dong reports.
Here are your Anthony's Weather Quiz answers!
KPRC Local 2 is helping law enforcement agencies put wanted criminals behind bars. Check out the fugitives featured on the Wheel of Justice.
We take a look at Forbes Magazine's list of the top ten hot billionaire heiresses.
Email Alerts
RSS News Feeds
Mobile
Live Streams
Slideshows
Video
Search
