5th grade students at Central Elementary are working to fight obesity and make healthier choices through Peyton Manning’s Project 18 program. Developed as a team effort between Peyton Manning, the medical team at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at St. Vincent, Marsh Supermarkets, Ball State University, community members and educators, the goal of the program is to encourage kids to set goals, eat well, and remain active.
The students at Central, led by teachers Jill Higgins and Katie Staffeld, have been following Project 18 for the past couple months, coinciding with their health curriculum. The first 6 weeks covered nutrition and eating well, followed by 6 weeks of physical activity, ending with holistic health, caring for the body, mind and spirit.
During the physical activity weeks, Higgins and Staffeld have brought in several athletes from Valparaiso University, including the volleyball and soccer teams. They’ve also brought in a Zumba instructor from the YMCA to teach several dance moves. On Thursday, January 27, 2011, 8 players from Valparaiso University’s football team, led by Defensive Coordinator Tony Pierce, brought their fitness tips to the 5th graders, including passing, tackling, running, and throwing maneuvers. The kids were broken up into 4 groups, rotating through each station. The half hour ended with examples of proper stretching techniques, as well as a personal appeal from Pierce for the students to make smart decisions and take care of their well-being.
“This is such an awesome resource,” stated Staffeld, in response to having some of VU’s finest coaching her class, “We’ve had a high level of athletics presented to the kids. They are getting exposure to sports and seeing their role models excel not only in academics but athletics as well.”