HWS Health fair focuses on active children

October 8, 2011

By COLLEEN MCCARTHY
sdnedu@bellsouth.net

Henderson Intermediate and Ward Stewart Elementary students got the chance to get out the classroom Friday, get moving and learn all about making healthy choices.
The school held the second annual Fall Into Good Health Tent Event yesterday.
“It’s to promote physical activity and good health and to show them how easy it is to have fun outside,” Beverly Lowery, a child nutrition director who helped organize the event, said.
The event gave the students the opportunity to learn about new foods and try new activities.
Doug Bedsaul and Jennifer Davis from Starkville Martial Arts Academy taught the students about karate, an activity where the mind is just as important as the body. Students practiced some basic moves, including blocks, kicks and punches.
The Wellness Center’s Kimberly Swisher got the kids moving to the music with a quick aerobics routine.
Other activities were educational, like the Youth Environmental Science tent, where the students learned about bats, and a tent which focused on health issues with the lungs, including asthma and the effects of smoking.
The tent fair is just one of the many health-themed programs at the schools. The GoPlay initiative has worked with the schools to encourage outdoor play and exploration. The program assisted in yesterday’s event.
“I think it’s important for children to learn at a very young how to take care of themselves,” Ward Stewart Principal Diane Baker said. “It’s important for them to have an early introduction to exercise, eating right, health and safety issues. Certainly Mississippi has some health issues, and we’re working to address those problems proactively.”