‘Healthy Futures Challenge’ promotes play, fitness

“Get out and play!” is the new slogan that has many students across the state moving. Teachers in more than 152 schools statewide have implemented the “Healthy Futures Challenge.” This helpful program promotes exercising, getting fit and working toward a new healthy goal every day.

Research shows children are becoming less active every year and the “Healthy Futures Challenge” is attempting to combat this problem. Each student who participates receives a log. In this log, they record their daily exercise/play times. After four weeks, if they have at least 30 minutes, three times a week, they will receive a prize.

Students win a beach ball for completing their first log. With the second consecutive log, the student wins a soaring flyer. The last log completed earns a miniature basketball hoop and ball. It is not required to complete all three logs, but students who do are eligible to win one of four grand prizes valued at $300. This is a great motivator to keep kids active during the colder months in Alaska.

Because of the distractions of television or Xbox, it can be hard to stay fit. Exercise can be an intimidating word to some, so it is premised in this program as play, or being active. Exercising or being active can be approached in many ways, such as bowling, cutting firewood, running, swinging or just playing with friends. Exercising or being active 30 minutes a day will build fitness, character and self-esteem.

Building a new fitness goal each month can be tough and hard to manage. However, being active has many benefits for students and can really boost how they feel about themselves.

By working at a new goal, a student builds character and muscles! When students complete this goal they have self-esteem and confidence knowing they can work toward a new goal. The “Healthy Futures Challenge” is set up in a way that students can reach an attainable goal and feel good about their abilities.

Sometimes getting fit is difficult. With this approach, a student can go bowling with family or cut firewood with grandpa. There are numerous opportunities as to what students can record into their activity logs. This helps students realize that they do not have to bench press, run or play a sport to have a healthy future. You can play with your friends, sled and just be active.

“Healthy Futures Challenge” is a wonderful idea for students and parents to work toward a new goal of getting fit and staying active. The eventual goal is to have every school nationwide involved. As students become more familiar with this program and become active, they unknowingly work toward a healthy future.

For more information, visit healthyfuturesak.org.

Sheridan Pegg is a sophomore at Glacier View School.