March 8, 2009
FIRST LADY MICHELLE PAIGE PATERSON ANNOUNCES KICK-OFF OF “HEALTHY STEPS TO ALBANY: FIRST LADY’S CHALLENGE”
Program to Promote Exercise and Healthy Eating in Middle Schools Begins Monday, March 9
Riverfront Public Library to Host Yonkers Kick-Off
First Lady Michelle Paige Paterson today announced that the Riverfront Public Library will host the Yonkers area kick-off of “Healthy Steps to Albany: First Lady’s Challenge” on Monday, March 9. The six-week health and wellness program invites middle school students in Yonkers, Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, and Albany will compete for a nutritious lunch with the Governor and First Lady, a visit to a New York farm and other prizes.
“I challenge Yonkers’ middle school students to participate in “Healthy Steps” and try new exercises and wholesome foods,” First Lady Paterson said. “I also want to thank all of the teachers, schools and community organizations who are making the health of our children a priority, and who have joined me in working together to foster healthy eating and exercise habits in New York’s children.”
The launch of the six-week health and wellness challenge will begin at the Riverfront Public Library at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, March 9. Students will view a taped message from Governor David A. Paterson and the First Lady, and tour the health booths and fitness stations that will be on site. Last month, the First Lady visited Montessori School 11 and Scholastic Academy for Academic Sciences to introduce students to the program.
“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.
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. In Westchester County, 53.6 percent of the adult population has a BMI of 25 or more.
For more information on the First Lady’s initiative, please visit: http://www.healthystepstoalbany.ny.gov.
