March 8, 2009
FIRST LADY MICHELLE PAIGE PATERSON ANNOUNCES KICK-OFF OF “HEALTHY STEPS TO ALBANY: FIRST LADY’S CHALLENGE”
Program Promoting Exercise and Healthy Eating in Middle School Classrooms Begins March 9
First Lady Michelle Paige Paterson today announced that “Healthy Steps to Albany: First Lady’s Challenge” will kick-off on Monday, March 9, in middle schools across the State. The six-week health and wellness challenge is open to middle school students in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany and Yonkers, who are competing for a nutritious lunch with the Governor and First Lady, a visit to a New York farm and other prizes. Last week, the First Lady announced that the program is also open to classes not in those school districts, which can use the website and program materials to administer the program themselves and compete for prizes secured by their schools.
“Today I challenge students participating to push themselves for these six week, and to try new exercises and foods,” First Lady Paterson said. “I also want to thank all of the teachers, schools and community organizations who are making the health of their students a priority, and have joined me in working together to foster healthy eating and exercise habits in New York’s children.”
“Healthy Steps to Albany: First Lady’s Challenge” is geared toward students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. Participating classrooms represent a team, and student team-members log their minutes of activity. Students will use the “Healthy Steps” website to convert various exercises into steps and class-teams track their step progress on a paper map that highlights fun facts about New York State. The teams that log the most steps in each grade and in each district win the challenge. The program concludes on April 17, 2009.
On Monday, school districts will host kick-off events across the State to get students excited about the challenge. Events will be held at Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School in Albany at 9:30 a.m., Southside Elementary #93 in Buffalo at 8:30 a.m., School Without Walls Foundation Academy in Rochester at 9:00 a.m., H.W. Smith Elementary School in Syracuse at 10:00 a.m., and Riverfront Public Library in Yonkers at 3:00 p.m..
Obesity is a statewide epidemic and 56.7 percent of New York’s adult population has a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 of more, qualifying as overweight or obese. Last month, the First Lady toured the State to introduce “Healthy Steps” to students, parents and teachers. She visited the participating counties, which have similarly high rates of adults who are overweight or obese: Erie County with 57.5 percent; Monroe County with 59.3 percent; Onondaga County with 59.5 percent; Albany County with 54 percent; and Westchester County with 53.6 percent.
To sign up for the Paper Version of the First Lady’s challenge please email: HealthyStepsAlbany@chamber.state.ny.us
For more information on the First Lady’s initiative, please visit: http://www.healthystepstoalbany.ny.gov.
