Lil’ F.I.S.H. Club Rewards 18 Students from Local Schools with Bikes and Helmets

Lil’ F.I.S.H. Club Rewards 18 Students from Local Schools with Bikes and Helmets

Lil’ F.I.S.H. Club (Feel Important…Stay Healthy) gave away a brand-new bike and helmet to one student at each participating Lil’ F.I.S.H. Club school – 18 schools total throughout La Porte and Starke Counties – as part of their end of the school year celebration. Lil’ F.I.S.H. Club was created and is funded by the Healthcare Foundation of La Porte.

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Lil’ F.I.S.H. Club was established in 2000 to educate elementary school students about the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices. Nationally, experts estimate 33 percent of all young people ages 6 to 17 are seriously overweight, and local statistics often exceed disturbing national trends in these areas.

Lil’ F.I.S.H. Club was created to address these alarming trends and reaches over 1,200 fourth grade students each year in La Porte and Starke Counties. In 2016, the program was extended to include 800 second grade students. The program uses an interactive educational program to introduce students to the idea of healthy behaviors. The Lil’ F.I.S.H. Club Coach presents 60-minute lessons that incorporate high-interest, hands-on activities designed to fit state education standards so that teachers do not lose valuable class time.

“Lil’ F.I.S.H. Club gives the students an opportunity to learn about important health and wellness topics while having fun,” said Lil’ F.I.S.H. Club Coach Danielle Kessler. “I look forward to planning and presenting each module with the students, and it is my hope that each student will be able to apply something they have learned to help them make positive healthy and lifestyle decisions into the future.”

Students receive giveaways that correspond with each of the eight modules, ranging from hygiene kits (soap, shampoo/conditioner, bath pouf and hand sanitizer) during the Hygiene and Self Esteem module in December to pedometers during the Exercise and Heart Health module in February. The bikes were part of a year-end celebration where students learned about summer safety and received sunglasses and chap stick.

Throughout the year, 4th grade students were encouraged to complete healthy habit trackers related to the Hygiene and Self Esteem, Nutrition and Exercise, and Heart Health modules. Their names were entered in a drawing for a secret prize up to three times if they completed and turned in each of these trackers. One lucky winner from each Lil’ F.I.S.H. Club school was randomly selected as the winner.

Congratulations to our 18 winners: Maggie Connor (Crichfield), Angelique Martinez (Hailmann), Alyssa Govert (Handley), Logan Donahue (Indian Trail), Mason Harlow (Kingsbury), Miguel Martinez (Kingsford Heights), Madison Fletcher (Knox A), Cooper McIntyre (Knox B), Mia Burns (Lincoln), Emilee Cruz (Olive), Miles Duckett (Oregon Davis), Henry Zemlick (Prairie View), Cierra Moore (Riley), Deshawn Williams (Rolling Prairie), Maddie Welinksi (South Central), Karli Katsaw (St. Johns), Tyrone Hicks (St. Pauls), and Daniel Huske (Westville).

The Healthcare Foundation of La Porte would like to thank all the volunteers, teachers and school staff who helped make Lil’ F.I.S.H. Club a success this school year!