PEP Rally teaches Luther Students about health and wellness

Fort HealthCare’s team of pediatric wellness staff visited Luther Elementary School in Fort Atkinson recently to teach kids how to keep their bodies strong and healthy through the PEP Rally pilot program. PEP tackled three important issues related to healthy choices: play more, eat right and push away the screen, the main concepts behind the national We Can! initiative.

During the PEP Rally, students learned through age-appropriate interactive demonstrations. “P” stands for Play More. The students participated in games related to all components of physical activity including aerobic activity, strength training and flexibility/stretching. They learned about the physical activity pyramid and the importance of playing at least 60-minutes per day and saw the difference between muscle and fat through a replica display.

“E” stands for Eat Right. The students learned about the MyPlate concept, an updated version of the food pyramid. They matched foods to their respective food group and created a healthy meal by reading food labels. Students took guesses at how much sugar was in various beverages, compared them to find the healthiest options and saw a visual display of what happens in the body when excess sugar is consumed.

“P” stands for Push Away the Screen. In this area, the students focused on alternative activities to excessive use of electronic devices. They were taught how to incorporate physical activity while watching TV, for example, as well as tips for understanding and managing stress more positively.

“This event showed kids that being active, eating nutritiously and taking care of their health can be fun,” remarked Lisa Jensen, Fort HealthCare School Nurse. The PEP Rally is one of the many ways Fort HealthCare is sharing its mission to improve the health and well-being of our community. For more photos of the Luther PEP Rally, visit Facebook.com/FortHealthCare. To learn more about the School Nurse program, visit FortHealthCare.com/SchoolNurse.