Each day after reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, 5th grader Joceline Molina and her classmates at an Elgin school launch into five minutes of non-stop exercise as part of a pilot project intended to promote healthier living.
Joceline, a student at Highland Elementary School, already has nudged her parents to exercise and change some of their habits too.
“They drink a lot of soda,” she whispered. “I told them to start drinking water and juice.”
Officials hope those sorts of conversations will become more common as part of Activate Elgin, a communitywide health initiative led by the Greater Elgin Area YMCA. The goals are to reduce obesity and provide more opportunities for physical activity.
At Highland, the pilot project started in January with a three-prong effort that includes promoting five minutes of exercise among the roughly 250 4th-, 5th- and 6th-grade students. The school staff also emphasize eating a good breakfast and increasing the number of family meals at home.
Highland is the only school in Elgin-based Unit District 46 participating in Activate Elgin, but officials hope the efforts can be duplicated throughout the district’s 53 schools, possibly with grants.
A 2003 survey of children’s weight in eight district schools found that 46 percent of the students were overweight or at risk of being overweight, based on federal guidelines.
“It was alarming,” said Donna Taylor, the district’s director of health services. “It gives us an indication there’s a concern in our district.”
The survey used a measure of a body fat based on height and weight. For children, age and sex also are factored into the body-mass index. The government doesn’t apply the term “obese” as it does with adults.
Across the nation, slightly more than 32 percent of children ages 2 to 19 are considered either overweight or at risk.
Since the U-46 survey, nurses and administrators have taken steps that include starting before-school walking clubs or providing more information about good nutrition, Taylor said.
At Highland, school nurse Diana Uselding estimates that 30 percent to 35 percent of the students in kindergarten through 6th grade are overweight.
About 70 percent of Highland’s students qualify for a free or reduced-price lunch, and about the same percentage are Hispanic children, who, according to U.S. data, have higher obesity rates. “I’m sure one of the challenges that we’re talking about is that fresh fruit and vegetables are more expensive than processed food,” Uselding said.
Uselding also said many parents work in shifts, making it harder to prepare and sit down for a family meal.
Taylor Family Branch YMCA, which already worked with Highland, received a $10,000 grant that is being used to finance the pilot project there. The YMCA works on fitness with school staff members.School officials also hope that the five-minute burst of exercise will improve brain function while reducing waistlines.
On a recent morning at Highland, the class did half-jacks and deep lunges, but routines change weekly. Moments later, students sat for a 55-minute reading portion of the Illinois Standards Achievement Test.
But long before test results are reported, teacher Luann Hopkins said she can tell the new habit makes a difference.
“I can tell when we exercise in the morning, my kids are more alert and on-task,” Hopkins said.
The program also encourages students to keep journals of their progress. Fruits and vegetables are available for free in the cafeteria, and the school plans to organize family seminars on healthy eating.
Joceline said she tried celery for the first time this year, while classmate Alexa Torres said she recently took her first bite of broccoli — and loved it. Others said the morning exercise ritual prepares them for the day.
“I feel like I can think more,” said Anthony Gonzalez, 11. “When I exercise, everything is off my mind.”
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mfergus@tribune.com
