Power Up Kidz honored with Medical Fitness Award
Beth Cecil
Power Up! Kidz
“This is a great program that really teaches kids the fundamentals of healthy living.”
The HealthPark captured the second place Progressive Innovation Award for Power Up Kidz at the annual conference of the Medical Fitness Association, held November 27-30. To qualify, the program must be reproducible, have demonstrated growth and focus on member retention, clinical integration or community outreach.
The HealthPark offers Power Up Kidz for under-active or overweight kids ages 6 to 16 and their parents. The program emphasizes eliminating weight gain while maintaining normal growth and development. The focus is on balancing calories for growth, choosing healthier foods, and increasing physical activity.
“This is a great program that really teaches kids the fundamentals of healthy living,” said Beth Cecil, ‘Power Up Kidz’ program coordinator. “I hope this award will inspire other organizations to start similar programs in other communities.”
It meets two times weekly for eight to 10 weeks and is offered several times a year. The nutrition and fitness staff develops personal relationships with the kids and their parents. Kids in the Kitchen, Kickball, Sharks and Survivors and Safari highlights just a few of the fun activities the program offers.
Assessments are completed before and after the program. Many kids see improvements in blood pressure, heart rates and body fat. Ad
ditionally, the completion rate remains at or above 85 percent, exceeding the initial goal of 75 percent.
“It’s an honor for the HealthPark to receive the second place Progressive Innovation Award,” according to Isaac Coffey, manager of health and fitness at the HealthPark. “We think this program is innovative and that’s exactly what the HealthPark wants to be with all its programs.”
The ‘Power Up Kidz’ initiative is also part of an afterschool program in the Owensboro, Owensboro Catholic and Daviess County schools, funded by a grant from the Green River Area Community Foundation.
