Telluride Med Center: Health/Wellness Program for Students

26 Sep Telluride Med Center: Health/Wellness Program for Students

This October marks the end of a three-year, 1.6 million, grant that brought increased focus on health and wellness for students in Telluride and Norwood.

The Telluride Medical Center (TMC) was awarded a coveted Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools in 2010.  

Local students were the beneficiaries of a revamped physical education curriculum, cutting-edge physical education equipment, summer camp scholarships, after school programs and a Grow Dome built behind the Telluride Middle/High School.

PEP grants also provided the Wilkinson Public Library with funding for snowshoes and fishing rods and poles that will continue to be available for check out with a library card.

As one of the grant requirements, physical activity and nutrition data had been collected on each student who received grant support over the three years. That data revealed interesting trends suggesting local youth do fall within the national trend of declining nutrition and physical fitness.

“If we’ve learned one thing during this grant, it’s that our kids are not immune to the health challenges facing the rest of the nation,” said PEP Grant Director, Elisa Marie Overall.

With the conclusion of the PEP program, Overall expects the public school district, Wilkinson Public Library, EcoAction Partners, and local governments will work together to develop new programs dedicated to maintaining the health and fitness of local youth.

“Parents will also play a central role in creating healthy environments for their kids” said TMC’s Wellness Counselor, Bridget Taddonio.

Taddonio suggests parents should promote a diet of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, curb sugary drinks, limit screen time to two hours a day and to encourage children to get 60 minutes of play every day.

“We have to work as a community to create healthy habits instead of assuming our natural playground and our energetic kids will do all the work,” said Overall.