Stories And Inspiration

Coach Teams GO FAR With Alliance for a Healthier Generation to Empower Kids

Submitted by Anonymous on Jun 2nd 2014 - 11:00AM. | Perma Link

Getting kids to be healthy—that’s the goal Coach Michelle Owens shares not only with GO FAR, but also with the national initiative she works for.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program aims to fight childhood obesity through schools and empower kids to develop healthy habits that last a lifetime. GO FAR is an approved Alliance for a Healthier Generation Healthy Out-of-School-Time (OST) resource.

Owens, National Employee and Student Wellness Advisor for the program, began coaching GO FAR at Manteo Elementary School last fall. One of her jobs is to create a healthier environment for students and staff across the country by infusing more opportunities for physical activity, healthy eating options, and nutrition education into their schools.Owens GO FAR

GO FAR’s program makes a good match. “The Alliance’s mission is to fight childhood obesity by creating healthy environments for kids to learn, play, and grow,” Owens said. “GO FAR helps with all three.”

Owens, a former teacher, sees the need for physical activity to help students succeed in the classroom. The Alliance and GO FAR are both programs that focus on that goal. “Many times as a teacher, my students would to come to me in the morning tired and hungry,” she said. “They would go home and have to stay inside until their parents got home from work, which meant TV instead of fun playtime. I would have a hard time learning if that’s how I started my morning and ended my day.”

GO FAR helps provide that outlet for physical activity. “It gives children who wouldn’t necessarily be involved in sports programs a way to be active afterschool,” Owens said. “It gives them the opportunity to reach personal goals, learn wellness tips that they can use every day, and teaches them skills that they will use for the rest of their lives.”

The kids are learning the benefits. Through her role in the Alliance, students keep Owens up-to-date on the latest health news at school. They tell her about the “brown bread” being served in the cafeteria. They note that teachers used to give them candy as incentives, but now they get extra recess. Their teachers dance with them in class and coach GO FAR.

GO FAR has inspired families to make changes, motivating a parent to run her first 5K this summer after seeing her son’s GO FAR commitment. “I’m always moved when children start something and then the entire family begins making healthy changes in their lives as a result of a child’s passion and commitment,” Owens said.

And the GO FAR commitment is seen at every race. During the recent Outer Banks race in May, a girl fell and cut herself pretty badly. She refused to stop running and crossed the finish line. “One of the skills we talk about is perseverance. The youngest kids can barely say the word but they understand what it means. GO FAR teaches them that anything is possible with hard work and dedication,” Owens said.

“I think one of the greatest impacts that GO FAR has is that it is a program that can be done by any student in the school,” she said. “It’s not a competitive sport and kids can set personal goals and work at it until they reach their one mile or 3.1 miles. No matter how much they run, they get a sense of accomplishment. There is nothing better than seeing a child who has worked hard for six to eight weeks receive his or her medal. The smiles are endless.”

To learn more about the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program, visit their website.

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