Oct. 19, 2011

Obesity-busting effort garners medal for Ill. School

Northeast Elementary Magnet School in economically struggling Danville, Ill. became the first elementary school to receieve a medal from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation for their efforts to make students healthier. Not only do students have gym class every day, exercise and nutrition are weaved into other lessons throughout the day. Kindergartners dance to the alphabet, third-graders learn math by twisting their bodies, and fifth-graders learn to calculate calories.

One parent says the program has had an amazing influence on her kids, 10-year-old Kayla and 5-year-old Carter.

“They’ve come home requesting fruits and vegetables they used to reject. Carter was thrilled to make frozen fruit shish kebobs in school, and Kayla was so excited the other day because she made her goal in running the mile and she was so happy that she knocked down her time from last year,” Black said