Girard Medical Center officials believe Girard and Frontenac fourth graders are having a blast with Dine-O-Might. So that made the officials even more pleased to find out that SEK-CAP gave the program a grant to fund the program in 2010.
Dine-O-Might is a health and wellness program started by Girard Medical Center for Girard fourth graders at R.V. Haderlein Elementary School six years ago. The program was expanded to Frontenac’s Frank Layden Elementary earlier this year.
SEK-CAP rewarded the program with a check for $6,483.36 on Friday (provided through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds) to help continue the program for another year.
The program, which lasts for 10 weeks, begins with measurements of the students’ height, weight, blood sugar and Body Mass Indexes. In years past, the program also tested students’ cholesterol levels.
The first year of the program, in Girard, 36 students were tested for their height and weight. Of those 36, 18 were classified as overweight or obese.
Over the course of four weeks, the program teaches physical fitness exercises to the fourth graders, including step aerobics, weights, climbing walls, and other games and activities. The program further teaches students to make healthy eating decisions. The program encourages students to have 30 minutes of exercise every day by having the kids keep a journal of activities.
“Kids in the past years have had healthier lifestyles and have been eating healthier,” said Dana White, physical therapy assistant for Girard Medical Center. “Kids have asked their moms to buy fruit more and eat better. We’re trying, from a young age, to get kids off of pop and candy and be more active and have more healthy lifestyles.”
For several years, the program has been operated without any funds, but been working as a GMC service. A grant provided some benefits for 2009.
SEK-CAP’s grant comes from roughly $600,000 in federal stimulus funds for community capacity building.
“The funds will take care of the entire year,” White said. “It will go to stimulate the local economy. It pays our staff, it pays for equipment. The good thing about the funding is it will allow us to come back and re-test the students, as well as expand the program.”
As part of the program, prizes and incentives are given to top students. Some of those prizes are random, but officials also choose a pair of students that have shown the most enthusiasm for a special prize.
Andrew Nash can be reached at andrew.nash@morningsun.net or by calling 231-2600 ext. 132.
GIRARD —
