Elementary school combats childhood obesity

One school is taking healthy to the next level. It’s not just school lunches anymore, Rimrock Elementary is getting active with its first Rimrock Run Challenge.

It started with one sixth-grade class and spread to the entire school. The students were given a punch card. With every lap they ran on the track, they got a hole punch.
When they have enough completely punched cards, they are put into a drawing.
Although students want a prize, the teacher that started it all, Natalie Burr, said it’s much more than that.

“Obesity is such a problem in the United States, that doing this is one more thing that we can do as educators, as parents, as principals that will help our students in the future,” she said.

The challenge just started Monday, but the school believes it will continue to be popular.

“I used to see kids playing four square and basketball outside my window all recess long, but now they’re all, from kindergarten, first, second, every single grade in school. They’re all just running” said Burr.

But whether they’re shooting hoops or running, the school says this challenge could be the key to keeping kids healthy. It hopes other schools will adopt a similar method.