After school programming is designed to help teach our students to learn about fitness in moderation. The Recreation Coordinator’s, Senior counselors, and members from Food and Health Services have put together a triangle program to help educate students on the importance of Health Awareness. The program will be divided into three areas: Physical activities, Educational learning, and Nutrition. (This program is a mini version of the Health and Wellness Program the many of the Staff have implemented with the students.)
This program will be introduced to the students slowly. Having students start by running 3 miles a day will not work and expecting them to have healthy eating habits will not happen overnight. What we have created is a program that helps students a few days a week become more active and aware of what and how the food they eat affects their bodies and brains. With the help of the senior counselors, we have put together a 6-week fitness program that involves after school programming over three weeks as well as training programs that will teach Food Nutrition by explaining meal patterns and components and the composition of a healthy meal. Our Recreation Coordinators have started a separate part of the program by introducing the first example of Health Wellness (Hiking in the Parks Program.) The program will move outdoors as soon as the weather permits. The entire agency will participate in an incredible hike up Ely’s Pike in Gary New Duluth in May. Staff will have all students and staff agency hike in June as well and one in July.
Other programs will be offered Monday and Thursday afternoons from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. Starting in May we will be presenting an introduction to Health and Wellness with fun outdoor games with the Recreation coordinator. The Health Wellness program will talk about eating habits, as well as being active physically in our life. Points will be earned by students who will then be able to earn prizes based on how many points they have earned by the end of June. The after school program Main agency events will run until June. Starting in late June we begin our High and low course adventures. After this program is completed we well take a week to evaluate the Health Wellness Program and start a 6 week program again in the fall using after school programming as our foundation.
The wellness team has created an outline of activities as well as a chart to keep track of daily points. Each day a student can earn a maximum of 3 points. One point for completing an activity daily: One point for healthy eating: And one point for learning or being taught a new healthy living skill by staff. Encouragement and willingness to participate in an event can be classified as a learning experience. S.U.R.E. (Simple, understandable, Respectful, Enforceable)
