“Gingerbread Squad” from Bluffton Elementary School earned first place in the Health Action Council Healthy Kids Spring Step It Up Challenge! As top steppers, Jaime Combs, Heidi Steiner, Ryan Dunlap, and Missy Smith won $1,500 for their school and averaged 809,363 steps.

The Spring Healthy Kids Step It Up Challenge, powered by Health Action Council, is a national no-cost, four-week step program that promotes overall health and well-being for schools and the community. School administrators, educators, and parents stepped to model healthy habits, show leadership, and win money!

“Having an overarching theme like a scavenger hunt; helps teams collaborate and achieve a collective goal,” said Patty Starr, President & CEO of Health Action Council. “Participants learned to challenge each other, work together and have fun, while practicing healthy habits such as staying hydrated and monitoring blood pressure.”

More importantly, their participation modeled good lifestyle habits for students such as participating in physical education classes, talking about the importance of physical and mental health, participating in team sport activities, and encouraging students to also take extra steps throughout the day.

This challenge attracted 319 participants from 38 teams, achieving a collective step goal, and having over 81,792,817 total steps, which unlocked our $500 donation to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northeast Indiana.

Second place winners were “Watch Us Shine” from Perry Local Schools, consisting of fitness fanatics, Kayla Rackovan, Heather Soutar, and Jenn Zack, bringing their school $1,250 and averaging 656,124 total steps.

Third place was awarded to “The History of Math in the Civil War” from Northern Local Schools, consisting of wellness warriors from Sheridan High School: Adam Huffman, J.D. Walters, Chris Walters, Katie Huffman, and John Covey. The team won their school $1,000 and averaged 593,141 average total steps.

Fourth place winners were “The Walking Bread” from Boulder Valley School District consisting of April Servold, Wasinee Nightingale, Crystal Martinez, Michael Nightingale, Carrie Jentz, Jose Jimenez, and Silas Goldstein, who won $750 for their school and averaged 545,512 total steps.

Fifth place winners were “Wilbur Wright Flyers” from Cleveland Metropolitan Schools. Participants were Brandi Dawson, Kim Francescone, Amanda Caraballo, Claire Medwid, Kelly Gulling, and Jane Birt, winning $500 for their school and averaging 411,292 average total steps.

“This challenge encompasses everything healthy, including the human connection to reach a collective goal,” said Starr.

In addition, Ohio Prizes went to:

• LHS Girls Athletic Association from Lancaster City Schools (Central OHSAA District) won $1,000. Team members were Jim Day, Turbo Dad, Allison Kinniard, Dianna Galadyk, and Teresa Tripp.
• Maumee Panthers from Maumee City Schools (Northwest OHSAA District) won $1,000. Team members were Mary Studenka, Rachel Hostetler, and Angie Wojcik.

The following were mini challenge winners.

• Matt Shelton from Greenfield Exempted Village Schools won a $25 Dick’s Sporting Goods gift card for participating in our favorite place to scavenger hunt.
• Bridget Witko from Fall River Elementary School won a Fitbit Charge 5 for participating in our spring flowers mini challenge.
• Cathy Frastaci from Edon Northwest Schools won a YETI Rambler Water Bottle for participating in our hydration mini challenge.
• Juliann Tinney from Riverside Local Schools won a Step It Up swag pack for having over 10,000 steps.
• Heather Soutar from Perry Local Schools won a $25 Starbucks gift card for participating in our National Vitamin C Day scavenger hunt.
• Angie Wojcik from Maumee City Schools won a $25 Amazon gift card for participating in our eclipse scavenger hunt.
• Suzy Stimecz from Riverside Local Schools won a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card for participating in our reading book scavenger hunt.
• JackDeLong from Urbana City Schools won a world of coffee discovery set for participating in our coffee scavenger hunt.
• Alison Flowers from Edison Schools won a resistance band set for participating in our blood pressure mini challenge.
• Crystal Martinez from Boulder Valley School District won a $25 Panera gift card for participating in our letter scavenger hunt.

“While the competition is fun, the result of becoming a healthier version of themselves and an example for children is the ultimate prize for the winners,” said Starr. “We love everyone’s enthusiastic participation.”

The best way to promote healthy habits for our children and students is to model healthy behavior ourselves. Thank you to everyone for making a difference in children's lives and for being an active role model for the community!

Interested in joining the Fall Healthy Kids 2024 Challenge? Dates are October 14 – November 10, 2024. Learn more and register here. For questions, contact Noelle Reinhart at [email protected]

About Health Action Council
Health Action Council is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) organization representing mid and large-size employers that enhances human and economic health through thought leadership, innovative services, and collaboration. It provides value to its members by facilitating projects that improve the quality and moderate the cost of healthcare purchased by its members for their employees, dependents, and retirees. Health Action Council also collaborates with key stakeholders - health plans, physicians, hospitals, and the pharmaceutical industry - to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare in the community.