BALTIMORE, MD, October 13, 2008
/24-7PressRelease/ -- Expanding on its existing 'Walking Club', United Educational Corporation's After School Club announced today it is teaming up with Get Fit Kids (Maryland) to begin tracking Mt. Washington Elementary School students step-by-step. The fitness program is an effort to combat childhood obesity and teach the importance of daily exercise to students. Tomorrow, students at Mt. Washington Elementary School will be lacing up their shoes and taking their first of 13,000 daily steps towards their individual better health goal by kicking off the Get Fit Kids program at their school.
"We are excited to be kicking off this partnership to help get our city's children moving towards better fitness and healthy lifestyles," said Matthew Day, Director with the UEC After School Club. "Fitness is a lifelong activity and we want to be part of the success of starting them young on the right path step-by-step."
Leading the students tomorrow on a walk through the Mt. Washington Arboretum near the school will be State Sen. Catherine Pugh (D-40th Dist.), founder of this weekend's Baltimore Marathon, Melanie LeGrande, Community Relations Manager and Executive Director of the Baltimore Ravens ACT Foundation and Sue Torr, Principal of Mt Washington Elementary School.
Third through fifth grade students in the walking program will receive complimentary pedometers to track their progress courtesy of a partnership with Get Fit Kids, founded jointly by University of Maryland Medical Center, the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Merritt Athletic Clubs.
"The kids love the Get Fit program because the pedometer gives them immediate feedback about how much or how little they are moving," explains Anne Williams, R.N., who heads Get Fit Kids. "Nearly 20 percent of children in this country are overweight and are not getting enough daily physical activity. Get Fit Kids shows these young students that adding more activity into their daily lives can be fun and easy."
Get Fit Kids is a 12-week walking and wellness program developed as part of an effort to encourage all Marylanders to take the first step toward a lifetime of health and fitness. The students earn monthly rewards for sticking with the program, and the school with the highest level of participation will also receive a special prize.
Media are invited to the kickoff of the Get Fit Kids program tomorrow at Mt. Washington Elementary School located at 1801 Sulgrave Avenue in Baltimore and the inaugural walk at the Mt. Washington Arboretum. The event starts at 1:30 p.m. where the children will be measured and receive complimentary fitness reviews. A press conference will be held at 2:30 p.m. and the first steps of the program will take place at approximately 3:00 p.m.
To RSVP for the event, or for more information on the program, please call Desmond Stinnie with UEC at 443-200-1727, ext. 302 or Sharon Boston representing Get Fit Kids at 410-328-8919.
About Get Fit Kids
Get Fit Kids is an extension of Get Fit Maryland , the award-winning walking program for adults. Since its creation in 2005, Get Fit Maryland has enrolled nearly 8,000 participants, who have been using pedometers to keep track of the number of steps they take each day. Adults can register at any Merritt Athletic Club through October 17.
For more information, go to http://www.getfitmaryland.org.
About United Education Corporation
Founded in 2002, United Educational Corporation (UEC) has been providing educational and recreational programs for Baltimore City youths throughout the school year, as well as during the summer months. Over the past six years, UEC's programs have played a constant and integral role in the academic growth, as well as personal and cultural development of hundreds of Baltimore City youths - having a profoundly positive impact on the outcomes of their lives, and enabling a productive transition from adolescence to early adulthood.
UEC supporters include The Baltimore Marathon, The Baltimore Ravens ACT Foundation, The Matt Katula Foundation, and CareFirst Community Foundation
For more information on United Educational Corporation, please call 443-200-1727 or visit them on the web at http://www.uecorp.org.
Media Contacts:
Desmond Stinnie
United Educational Corporation
Phone: 443-200-1727, ext. 302
Sharon Boston
University of Maryland Medical Center
and University of Maryland School of Medicine
Phone: 410-328-8919
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