This past Saturday morning we celebrated the Crunch Out program and announced the 2021-2022 School Year Crunch Out Knox County Essay Winners!
Crunch Out Knox County teaches 4th grade students in Knox County Schools about making healthy food choices and getting physical activity every day. Information about 5-2-1-0 is shared. 5 stands for 5 servings of Fruits & Vegetables – Serve a fruit or vegetable at every meal. 2 represents 2 hours of Screen Time – Limit screen ‘play’ time and plan when to watch TV. 1 signifies 1 hour of Physical Activity – Take a walk or play outside together. 0 instructs students to drink 0 Sugary Beverages – Try water or milk instead.
Education and practice are the best way to create healthy habits. That’s what Crunch Out provides for Knox County’s students! Crunch Out Knox County provides information and tools to help our children create and maintain healthy habits to support life-long wellness.
The six-week county-wide program is held in the Fall during physical education class. Students learn how to use an exercise ball as a fitness tool and practice different ball exercises. Students receive their own exercise ball to take home and keep and are encouraged to share program information with their family. Research shows that families have the biggest influence on their child’s health habits. Not only do we want the kids to move more, but we also want to get families involved and moving. By having an exercise ball at home, students and family can use it and create new healthy habits together! A training guide – My Everyday Guide to Living Healthy – offers different ball exercises and tips about healthy eating and portion sizes. Students record their nutrition and physical activity in Journals and earn prizes for completing weekly journals and actively participating in gym class. At the end of the program, students complete an essay – “How I Am Living Healthy!” Winners are selected from each classroom and school.
Although Crunch Out is coordinated by United Way, we are grateful for our community partners Knox Community Hospital, Knox Public Health – Mount Vernon, Ohio, and the YMCA of Mount Vernon. As well as support from the Get Healthy Knox County community coalition.
This year’s Crunch Out Essay winner of Knox County is Callie May of East Knox Elementary School.
Other winners including school winners : Alli Sekavec Tori Abrams, Emma Perrin, Raylee Borchers from Fredericktown Elementary, Hailey Elliottis, Brooklyn Bruff from Danville Elementary, Aria Yarman from St. Vincent de Paul, McKenna May, Haley Page from East Knox Elementary, Ben Wilhelm, Ella Joering, Carter Skillman frin Centerburg Elementary, Lily Grassbaugh from Wiggin Street Elementary, Karrie Gearhart, Clara Mussard from Columbia Elementary, Tommy Fowler, Cole Bonvillain, Narrion Pelletier from Pleasant Street Elementary, Addison House, Ava Beam, Gabriella Schemrich from Twin Oak Elementary, and Haddon Daniels, Caroline Vonck from East Elementary.
Congratulations to our award winners! Thank you all again for your amazing efforts.
