Exercise Science Club 5k promotes a healthy lifestyle
By Madeline Travell // Organizations Editor
Eating nutritious meals and staying active can seem daunting while living on a college campus where there is so much that needs to be accomplished in a day. Juggling everything in a 24-hour period can be difficult, but High Point University’s Exercise Science Club is here to help facilitate a healthy life.
On March 31, the Exercise Science Club and Employee Wellness held their second annual 5K to benefit D-Up, a childhood fitness and academics program. Over 90 participants joined in on the race for healthy living and the club raised over $600 in donations, which was double last year’s total. The 5K took place around HPU’s campus where there were club members along the course with signs and balloons to direct participants in the right direction.
“It was really inspiring to see so many Exercise Science professors and advisors come out to support the EXS club,” said Marisa Littman, Exercise Science Club member. “It shows that they truly care about their students and are there to support them.”
There were six vendors who had tables at the event including Pure Barre, Edible Arrangements, Doctor’s Express, Maxfit, Omega Sports and GNC. Pure Barre led a full body warm up complete with jumping jacks, high knees, lunge stretch and arm stretches before the race and raffled off a barre party while GNC and Edible arrangements provided free samples.
“After the race, our vendors got a lot of attention and helped create a relaxed environment with wellness in mind,” Zambito said.
The club participates in outreach programs and partners with a local non-profit organization, D-Up, which was founded by Corvin and Jakki Davis. This program focuses specifically on a younger demographic of children grades K-8 where diet, physical fitness and academics are values that are fostered. Basketball clinics and physical fitness programs held at the park on Washington Street are offered to the community through D-Up.
An offshoot program that has resulted from the work of D-Up is the Physical Activity, Nutrition, Academics and Character Development (PNAC). This initiative serves as an after-school program for the children to create friendships, have time to do homework and have a healthy snack. As stated from the club’s service learning poster, “The Exercise Science Club has partnered with D-Up to help prevent obesity in PNAC participants by engaging them in activities related to exercise and nutrition.” The club will be presenting a three session curriculum with D-Up including cardio dance, a healthy snack and outdoor games.
The program revolves around the picture book, “Henry Gets Moving,” where an unhealthy hamster changes his life through daily exercise and a healthy diet. The poster further explains, “In May 2014, Exercise Science Club President Allie Zambito was introduced to the program when she met “Henry” author Pierre Rouzier at the American College of Sports Medicine conference.”
This program is a four-step process where in the end, the children will understand that being active will lead to a long healthy life. In the first session, club members read the book to the PNAC students on a projector. By the second session, PNAC students had their own physical copy of the book and further analyzed the message “Henry” was promoting and related it to their own lives. In the third session, PNAC students are taught movement-based activities that they can play with their friends and family. In the final session, the PNAC students are asked to reflect on what part of the book they connected most with through coloring their favorite scene from it, and then were asked to color a picture of themselves doing an activity they learned from Henry.
If you missed out on the 5K but still are looking for ways to keep moving and stay fit through out college, consider joining the Exercise Science club.