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.