Students Stroll Into Healthier Living

By: Eunicia Baker/Eyewitness News 9 | WNCT
Published: March 20, 2008

Some students here in the east, are literally taking steps toward healthier living. Northwest Elementary School’s Mileage Club began in February, and it got the whole school moving in a healthier direction.

Physical fitness isn't a cause you'd expect a music teacher to champion, but that's exactly what Teresa Singer did by starting the club. Singer says the Mileage Club is a program that encourages kids to be more active and develop a healthy lifestyle.

The school converted a part of the playing field into a makeshift track where students sacrifice recess time to participate. Fifth grader Katie Hylton says, "It's really good exercise and I sort of think it helps. And it's a good way to get together with my friends.

There were rewards if you walked far enough. Students who walked 25 to 100 miles earned a special foot charm for necklaces given by the club. Singer explains, "We have these little feet that have twenty tiny feet on them, and every time they walk a lap one of those little feet gets punched out. And every lap is one forth of a mile. Twenty laps complete the card that can be exchanged for the necklace charms.

It’s hoped that by this August, a real track will be built, honoring the late physical education teacher, Gary Southerland. Singer says special adornments in memory of him will be added, "Most of the posts will be signs about good character, responsibility and respect. And these are all character words that represent what Mr. Southerland was to us."

Singer says teachers and students have already walked more than 7-thousand miles. Since the program began she says, student interest has increased both fitness and behavior through out the school.