Students at Russellville Middle School (RMS) ran in the RussVegas 5K Glow Run on Friday, April 21, as part of a nine-week running program at RMS to promote healthy living.
This running program was made available to sixth and seventh-grade students not already involved in athletics to improve their physical fitness and teach them ways to continue a healthier lifestyle. The program made it possible for someone with little or no distance running experience to begin and eventually run in the 5K. The students also participated in yoga classes taught by the Pope County Cooperative Extension Services to help with their flexibility.
P.E. teacher, Nick Brill, hopes this program will promote lifetime fitness. “With this running program, I am teaching students that being healthy can be enjoyable,” he said.
RMS received a grant from the Blue and You Foundation, which paid the entry fees into the 5K for the 40 students who participated in the program. The Blue and You Foundation is a charitable foundation established and funded by Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield to promote better health in Arkansas. The Foundation awards grants annually to nonprofit or governmental organizations and programs that positively affect the health of Arkansans.
“So many students struggle getting the recommended amount of daily exercise,” said Brill. “This program shows students that an active lifestyle can be fun and rewarding. If I can encourage students at the middle school level to start practicing healthy habits that lead to healthier lifestyles, then maybe they will begin to encourage their peers to do the same.”