The official launch of the Gannawarra VicHealth Walk to School program took
place at the Lake Charm Primary School on Monday this week.
Lake Charm was chosen for the official launch to promote the school’s
commitment over the past two years to incorporating the Walk to School program into
a Healthy October theme.
To mark the occasion, the students prepared colourful posters and banners,
plus a media clip.
Councillor Gannon officially opened the 2016 Gannawarra VicHealth Walk to
School program and presented the school with a Get Active Statement. This statement reinforces the
school’s commitment to supporting Active and Healthy Lifestyles and supporting
every child to have a great start to life!
Tanya from Northern District Community Health spoke about the importance of
children being active and fitting at least 60 minutes of physical activity into
each day. When children are physically active they are healthier, happier and
more connected to family and friends. They also learn better at school because
activity is great for waking us up and improving our concentration. The
students listed off lots of ways that they enjoy exercising – dance, netball,
skipping and playing ball games rated highly at Lake Charm…
There was also a fun, and active, Bollywood Dance session with Pia from the
Gannawarra Library Service.
Little bodies of course can’t achieve their potential without being ‘fuelled’
up with energy from healthy foods. A colourful fruit platter with the addition
of fresh and crunchy snowpeas straight from the school’s vegetable garden kick
started the day…along with some energetic skippping…
It’s sometimes hard for children to fit the required 60 minutes of physical
activity into each day. At Lake Charm the school provides a supportive
environment to ensure that time is put aside for the students to be as active
as possible.
All eleven primary schools across the Gannawarra
Shire are participating in this year’s Walk to
School program with students encouraged to ride, walk or scoot to and from school, the school bus or while at school, throughout October.
The Walk to School Program is an
initiative of VicHealth with more than 700 schools across Victoria registered
to take part – that’s more than 100,000 primary school students!School program with students encouraged to ride, walk or scoot to and from school, the school bus or while at school, throughout October.
This is the fourth consecutive
year that Gannawarra Shire has coordinated a local Walk to School program and
2016 is shaping up to be the most successful yet!
Last year 763 primary school students from across the Gannawarra Shire participated with 95% of these students (726) walking, riding or scooting throughout October. Walks for the month totalled 16,237 and based on the average walking distance this equates to 11,658 kilometres!
The Walk to School program promotes the importance
of children being Active and Healthy in their communities and fitting at least
60 minutes of physical activity into their daily lives. Getting actively to
school, the school bus, or while at school not only helps keep children fit and
healthy, it also helps them to stay alert, to concentrate and improves learning
outcomes.Last year 763 primary school students from across the Gannawarra Shire participated with 95% of these students (726) walking, riding or scooting throughout October. Walks for the month totalled 16,237 and based on the average walking distance this equates to 11,658 kilometres!
The Gannawarra VicHealth Walk to School
program is rolled out across the Gannawarra Shire as a Gannawarra Local Agency
Meeting (GLAM) partnership project. This is a partnership between Gannawarra
Shire Council, Northern District Community Health, Kerang District Health, Cohuna
District Hospital, Mallee District Aboriginal Service, Victoria Police, with
support from the Southern Mallee Primary Care Partnership.
Walk to School is a VicHealth initiative. For more
information go to: http://www.walktoschool.vic.gov.au/
Follow along with the Gannawarra VicHealth Walk to School program: https://www.facebook.com/HealthyGannawarra/ and our Gannawarra Walk
to School BLOG: http://gannawarrawalkstoschool.blogspot.com.au/
