Students from Stony Point North Elementary School in Kansas City, Kan., are speaking out for a healthy community, and their actions have won them a $1,000 prize in the KC Healthy Kids youth photo-essay contest.
The school’s fourth grade class was one of six first-place winners in the “I Am Here” photo/essay contest. The contest asked schools to submit captioned photos illustrating how their communities help and hinder healthy habits.
Ray Lipovac, physical education teacher at Stony Point North, coordinated the effort at his school. The students focused on many of the healthy habits taught in PE class. They include:
• Wearing pedometers to track their daily fitness activities
• Participating in a variety of physical activities in PE classes
• Creating PE portfolios to assist in emphasizing the importance of wellness
• Conducting healthy eating activities through all-school taste tests and discussions in PE
• Documenting the need for schoolyard gardens where students can grow food for their school lunches and taste test events
• Participating in the NFL Play 60 program
In the category of hindering healthy habits, the students captured images of their large school campus and playground space, with a small amount of playground equipment. Their goal is to secure more playground equipment to enhance student activity.
They used the slogan, “I Am Here, But My Playground Equipment is Not.”
Lipovac’s 5th grade students also submitted an entry and won honorable mention recognition which came with a $100 prize. All prize money will be used to promote student wellness.
“It was very rewarding for our staff to hear of the outcome of the contest and to have our students receive the special recognition for their accomplishments in receiving both first place for the fourth graders and honorable mention for the fifth graders,” Lipovac said. “We have very high expectations for our students, and challenge our students with a variety of educational activities. We know that our students can rise to the level of our expectations.”
Now that the 4th graders have won first place, they will vie for a chance to win the $2,500 grand prize by making a “shark tank” style presentation about their project on March 2 to local government, community and business leaders. They will be competing against the other five school districts who also won first place prizes. The event will take place at 5:30 p.m. at the Kauffman Foundation Conference Center. Tickets can be purchased online at www.kchealthykids.org/store/i-am-here-awards-ceremony/.
KC Healthy Kids rallies communities to improve access to affordable fresh food and safe places to walk and play for overall good health, a spokesman said.
“I Am Here” was open to students in grades 3-8 around the KC Metro area. For more information, go to http://www.kchealthykids.org/photo-contest-winners-will-get-big-bucks-to-make-their-communities-healthier/
– Story from Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools