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The Healthy South Carolina Challenge

26.40%
of SC teens are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight

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Physical Fitness Success Story:
Edisto Elementary
Walking the Wellness Treasure Trail to a Healthier Life

Issue
Obesity in children in South Carolina is on the rise. Edisto Elementary is located in rural Orangeburg County, where about 35% of the students obese and about 30% are are overweight. Sheila Evans, the physical education teacher said, “I notice that a number of the children were not participating in the structure physical education activities.
We also found that many students had poor eating habits.” Additionally, the children were also not receiving timely information about obesity and other diseases that have a great impact on them. Therefore, they were not aware of ability to impact obesity by their diet and exercise.

Intervention
The Wellness Treasure Trail was designed to help students increase their physical activity through walking and to increase their knowledge about healthy lifestyles. Thanks to funds from the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant the school was able to purchase supplies for their Wellness Treasure Trail and expand their program to promote physical activity through puppetry. They also have plans to pave the walking trail. The following interventions were implemented:

• Third through fifth grade students walked trail during recess;
• Fifth grade students researched and developed questions and activities which were used at designated mile markers;
• Third and Fourth grade researched questions answered incorrectly; and
• Third grade students performed puppet shows to promote physical activity.

Impact
At the end of the 2006-2007 school year, students had improved their lifestyles to include healthier behaviors:

• Approximately 500 students school-wide walked the trail during recess; 100 reached five miles;
• All fifth grade physical education students learned health related information through their research;
• Third and fourth grade students learned health related information;
• Many learned about the importance of physical fitness through the puppet show performed at the PTSO meeting; and
• Usage of trail has increased since its inception. School has plans to pave the trail to make it safer for walking and to sponsor community walks once or twice a month.

Contact: Sheila Evans, Physical Education Teacher
Edisto Elementary School
1136 Woodolive Lane, Orangeburg, SC 29115
Phone (803) 531-7646