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grolfe
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Posted: Fri May 15th, 2009 02:13 pm |
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By Glenn Rolfe
Leader & State Register
LAUREL – Hundreds of elementary students were “trapped” several miles east of Laurel last Friday.
By all accounts a grand time was had by all.
Fresh air, nature, outdoor activities, exhibits and educational programs encompassed the second annual “Healthy Kids Day at Trap Pond” – an event sponsored by Nemours Health & Prevention Services in partnership with Delaware State Parks and other community, agency and group partners.
About 800 fourth graders from Sussex County schools were treated to a performance by the Nutrition Magician, along with numerous activities that ranged from physical exercise to water, fire and pedestrian safety.
Reigning Miss Delaware 2008, Galen Giaccone spoke about the importance of physical activity and addressed issues related to tobacco use.
Embedded throughout was Nemours’ 5-2-1-Almost None initiative, supported by the Sussex Child Health Promotion Coalition. Geared at making Delaware’s kids the healthiest in the nation, 5-2-1-AN promotes at least one hour of daily exercise along with eating five fruits and vegetables, no more than two hours of recreational screen time per day and virtually no sugar-sweetened drinks.
“Our goal at Nemours is to create active living communities,” said NHPS spokesman John Hollis. “We are working on this impending epidemic on childhood obesity … if we can make them physically active as a family, we can beat this.”
“There are some real disturbing trends nationwide,” said Ray Bivens, DSP’s Chief of Programming. “Kids now spend 50 percent less time outside than they did 20 years ago. The average kid in the U.S. is connected to the media – internet, TV, video games, MP3 player – 44 hours a week, most than full time jobs. Hopefully they already know that 5-2-1-AN message. We want to bring them out here. And I think the best way to reach families is through kids.”
Last year’s inaugural Healthy Kids Day christened the NHPS/Delaware State Parks partnership of the Parks Trail Challenge Program, geared to promote and encourage physical activity through family participation in a nature-based setting.
Woodbridge Elementary fourth grader Angela Murray Williams is no stranger to Trap Pond State Park.
“I come here with my friends and my family,” said Angela. “We run and play. It’s fun.”
Classmate Brian Ireland, who occasionally frequents the park with family, understands the importance of healthy living.
“If you get fat you might have heart problems,” Brian said.
Mr. Bivens said a revamped and revised Trail Challenge Program set to be launched June 1 will be “even more kid friendly” featuring 15 different trails at state parks with prize incentives based on levels of completion by Dec. 31.
“This beautiful resource in Sussex is an example where the whole family can come and enjoy the surroundings and outdoors,” said Mr. Hollis. “The schools have been phenomenal partners in this. Many of these kids we found out last year had never been to a state park. We are encouraging them to use their state parks, but also use them with the idea that it is a great place to pack a healthy lunch and walk and become physically active.”
News Editor Glenn Rolfe can be reached at 629-5505 or grolfe@newszap.com.
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