In the depths of winter in January, students, staff and parents at Interlochen Community School began walking to Ft. Lauderdale.
Instead of taking to the streets, they followed a ¼-mile route around the school's interior perimeter and began, collectively and individually, racking up miles. Daily mileage was marked on a large map to encourage and motivate participants.
By Spring Break, the 100 walking club participants who walked, talked, stretched and learned before school had trod 2,500 miles — enough to make it to Galveston, Texas. They surpassed their initial goal by nearly 1,000 miles and a couple of students went over 100 miles in that time.
"They walked and chatted with friends and with teachers,” said Nan Lewis, the Title I assistant for the school. "That was the beauty of it, they could go at their own level: if you can walk two laps today and only walked one yesterday, you're doing great. Some kids walked two to three miles a day.”
The walking club, which included nutrition and hydration information, stretching and other lifestyle improvements, garnered the school as second place "School of Excellence” recognition by Michigan's Surgeon General, Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom. Last week's recognition is part of the Surgeon General's Michigan Steps Up program, which promotes a healthy lifestyle throughout the state, in conjunction with Michigan Action For Healthy Kids.
Interlochen Community School was one of 57 schools statewide that received an award for significantly improving their environment in the areas of healthy diet, physical activity and a no tobacco lifestyle.
West Senior High School was the other school in the Traverse City Area Public Schools District that received an award, earning first place recognition for "Outstanding Achievement.” West was one of 13 schools who garnered first place, tripling the amount over the previous year.
Four levels of recognition are available, each acknowledging a level of effort or improvement in health-related issues. To receive first place, for example, a school must have formed a coordinated school health team, completed a Healthy School Action Tool, improved time and options for physical activity for students and staff, boost healthy food and drink offerings and teach about sun safety for outdoor activities. West High School completed these steps over the past two years, this year adding a workout class for teachers that meets after school twice a week.
"It's a very stressful profession,” noted Patti Tibaldi, athletic director at West and the Every Step Counts grant coordinator for the district.
Tibaldi put together the applications for both West and Interlochen Community School, eager to acknowledge efforts at each school to improve student health and knowledge.
Sander Scott, principal of Interlochen Community School, relished his school's enthusiasm for the walking club, noting that students in pre-K through sixth grade participated. The school also took part in the Michigan Land Use Institute's Farm to School program, where the school served local produce and learned about nutrition and farming. The program also taught students how to read labels on food, see where sugar fits in and the additives in items designed for children.
Scott said the school's effort impacted his family and choices just as much as the other participants. Helping realign habits, which are powerful things for people of all ages, can have a lifetime impact on dietary choices and exercise.
"From my perspective, and my perspective as a young parent, I think I lost my own focus on the adage that, 'You are what you eat,'” he reflected. "I want to get back to embracing that.”
"That's our job as educators, working closely with parents, to try to instill habits to try to lead to children being healthy, successful adults,” Scott added.