USU Physical Activity Challenge Culminates with A-Day Awards Ceremony
How’d we do? After 14 weeks of walking, lifting, jumping, running and eating more fruits and veggies, are we a trimmer, healthier campus? The results will be revealed Friday, April 21, during the USU Physical Activity Challenge Awards Ceremony on the university Quad. The ceremony takes place from 10-10:30 a.m. during the university’s annual A-Day celebration, amid live music, dance and other festivities.
“More than 300 students, faculty and staff signed on in six-member teams to participate in our first physical activity challenge, which we think is phenomenal,” says Jamie McKinlay, program coordinator in USU’s Student Health and Wellness Center and organizer of the competition. “At the ceremony, we’ll find out just how many hours Aggies put into improving their health and fitness.”
Prizes will be awarded to the teams that achieved the most hours of physical activity. In addition, special recognition will go to the following teams that had 100 percent departmental participation: The Children’s House, KreeKee Knees and Sub-Letes of the Substitute Teaching Institute, Sixpackers and Underdogs of Campus Recreation and SPARC 6 from the Academic Resource Center.
The fitness challenge is part of USU’s participation in the statewide “A Healthier You” Legacy Awards program, funded by the Utah Department of Health, Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health and community partners. Initiated in conjunction with the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games, the program recognizes efforts by college campuses, communities, public schools and the private sector in increasing opportunities for health-enhancing activities.
The challenge fuels Utah State’s efforts to advance to a silver level Healthy Campus award during 2006. USU received a bronze level award last fall and was the only higher ed campus in the state to receive an award of any level in 2005.
Connie Kitchens, program coordinator for ‘A Healthier You,’ praised USU’s efforts in conducting a physical activity challenge. “I think USU’s Student Health and Wellness Center is very innovative in what it chose to do and had a fabulous result in so many teams signing up,” she said.
USU’s Student Health and Wellness Center provides a variety of educational and awareness programs in alcohol, tobacco and substance abuse, healthy relationships, sexual assault and rape prevention, nutrition, peer pressure and safe recreational practices.
For more information about the physical activity challenge and other wellness initiatives, contact McKinlay at 435-797-1010; jjmckinlay@cc.usu.edu.
Neither snow nor cold nor gloomy inversions stayed Aggies from logging fitness hours during the 2006 USU Physical Activity Challenge. Awards ceremony is April 21.
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