At Jackson Elementary School in Greeley, students in Jioni Reliford’s physical classes learn more than motor skills, moving and challenging their bodies.
In February, the physical components of his classes are combined with larger lessons on health and wellness for the whole person.
“My goal as a physical education teacher is for the kids to be living a healthy lifestyle their entire lives,” Reliford said. “When you’re building good habits early, it’s easier to continue them.”
This explains why for the 10th straight year — every year Reliford has worked as a professional educator — Jackson has participated in UCHealth’s Healthy Kids 5210+ Challenge.
Started nearly two decades ago, the challenge asks Colorado students, staff and families to adopt and track healthy nutrition and habits throughout the month.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a report earlier this month indicating children between 1 and 5 years old are consuming more sugary drinks in a week than vegetables.
This year, 129 schools in 11 Colorado school districts are involved in the challenge, according to UCHealth. Those numbers represent the highest levels of participation in the challenge’s 18 years, according to Anna Kingman, a UCHealth community health supervisor who oversees the 5210+ Challenge.
Almost 55,000 students and staff from elementary and middle schools registered for the challenge program, also according to UCHealth. That figure includes more than 4,200 students and staff from middle schools in a pilot year.
Kingman said the high level of participation might originate from the challenge of the program.
“Striving for a T-shirt and earning money for a school,” Kingman said. “The staff and family aspect, I think, makes it fun for the schools and the numbers, what they represent, are attainable for people.”
The 5210+ stands for:
- 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day;
- 2 hours or less of recreational screen time;
- 1 hour or more of physical activity;
- 0 sugary drinks;
- And the plus: get nine or more hours of sleep per night.
Participating students and staff who track at least 80 healthy habits during February will earn 5210+ T-shirts. Participating schools are eligible for prize money to be awarded to schools with the highest percentage of participants.
The prize money will be announced in May, and the funds will be dedicated to supporting physical education equipment or school wellness initiatives. Last year, Jackson earned about $750, and the school spent the money on soccer goals, Reliford said.
In addition to the student and staff logs that participants fill out throughout the month, the challenge provides families with a log to identify a goal for each day — from cooking a healthy meal as a family to having a family dance party.
“I think a healthy lifestyle for everyone starts and is learned from childhood,” Jackson principal Ingrid Dillehay said.
Dillehay added the school participates in a program through the Greeley-Evans School District where its nutrition services department provides fruit and vegetables for students at the end of the school day. The availability of those healthy foods, combined with the lessons in Reliford’s classes reinforce the benefits of healthier food choices and an overall healthier lifestyle.
“I think it’s a great connection we have at Jackson,” Dillehay said.
