Lincoln Elementary Participates in Health Jam

Pana fifth graders at Lincoln Elementary school recently participated in 4-H Health Jam, a program to promote a healthy lifestyle, get students up and active and introduce students to health-related careers.  Over the course of several weeks, the students participated in Zumba, Yoga, learned about nutrition topics including, the MyPlate Dietary Guidelines, portion sizes and the hidden sugar in drinks.  In addition, each student was given a pedometer to keep track of his or her daily steps and were encouraged to get in at least 2,000 steps a day (1 mile).   Each classroom was encouraged to total their steps in order to “Walk Across Illinois”, from East Dubuque, Illinois to Cairo, Illinois (465 miles).  Each class succeeded in the challenge and students received a t-shirt to recognize their accomplishment.  On the last day of the program, Pana Community Hospital staff talked to the students about medical and health related careers.  The speakers included:  Drew Casner (Sports Medicine), Karen Beck (Occupational Therapy), Deb Culumber (Diagnostic Imaging), Bob Ludwig (Anesthesia) Blair Angel (Family Nurse Practitioner), and John McQuillan (Fitness Manager).

4-H Health Jam was a collaboration among Live Well Fitness, Pana Community Hospital and University of Illinois Extension (Christian County 4-H).  The program was funded through a Wal-Mart grant through the Illinois 4-H State office. For more information about 4-H Health Jam, contact Peggy Hampton, Youth Development Educator at University of Illinois Extension, at 217-532-3941 or phampton@illinois.edu