Northern Arizona Healthcare Fit Kids program coming to Williams High School

WILLIAMS, Ariz. - Students at Williams High School (WHS) will have more opportunities to improve their health as Northern Arizona Healthcare Fit Kids program hits Williams High School.

Fit Kids has been part of the Williams Elementary-Middle School (WEMS) for the past three years, and now the program is expanding to the high school. Northern Arizona Healthcare pays for the program, which officials expect to last about three to five years. About 12 schools in Flagstaff also participate in Fit Kids. The goal of the program is to prevent and reduce pediatric obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

Kindergarten through eighth grade students have Fit Kids class every day, with 20 minutes of physical activity and 20 minutes of health education. The high school program will provide two new physical education (PE) classes, a weight training class, and a dance class.

"Fit Kids is great," Williams High School Athletic Director Phillip Echeverria said. "They provide the funding for the position but allow us to choose the teacher and how we want to implement the program."

Fit Kids has funded one full-time position at the high school. The high school hired Jeff Brownlee to fill this position. He will teach the PE classes and weight training class. He will also keep the weight room open in the summer and after school.

"We've had weight classes come and go," Echeverria said. "We haven't had it in two or three years. It's good that it's coming back. That's what some kids want to do. They want to lift for an hour each day and often don't have the time after school."

Echeverria plans to track the kids in the different PE classes. He wants to compare the fitness results of a traditional PE class versus a fitness-oriented class. He will measure percent body fat and weight at the beginning of the year and compare it to the end. The new fitness class will include sessions such as yoga, cardio, plyometrics, resistance and body-weight training, and abdominal work.

The school is also hoping to provide an elective dance class.

"We had about 10-12 students sign-up for the dance class," Echeverria said. "We're hoping we can now find an instructor."