Walk this Way! Wellness Begins From the Starting Line

Background: The decrease in physical activity in children and adolescents prevents them from meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations of at least 60 minutes/day of moderate to vigorous physical activity, with at least three days/week of vigorous intensity. Local Problem: A local elementary school desired to incorporate a structured walking program for their students as there was no formal walking program in their physical education curriculum. Methods: Following a logic model, a 30-day walking program was introduced to elementary school students to increase physical activity and instill healthy habits. Interventions: The 100 Mile Club ® was implemented at a private school in western New York. Pedometers were given to students, and they were instructed to incorporate 10 minutes of structured walking time each school day. A multi-method analysis occurred. Steps were recorded on daily logs. Descriptive statistics were used to determine engagement. Guided interviews with personnel were conducted after implementation to determine feasibility, sustainability, or potential changes for future implementation. Results: Students walked daily for 30 school days, averaged 13 minutes of structured walking daily, 1.07 miles daily, and 65.19 miles total. School staff found the program easy to implement, and increased student engagement. Conclusions: Students looked forward to daily walking and felt supported by staff. The program was enjoyable and reduced sedentary time at school, which is important as it demonstrated that physical activity can be fun and teach healthy habits. The program can be easily replicated at other grade levels or for a longer time period.