Findlay, Ohio –Sixth grade students around Findlay are learning about living a healthy lifestyle thanks to graduate students in The University of Findlay’s Physical Therapy Program.

UF’s Fitness Challenge program aims to teach children healthy lifestyle habits from an early age with the goal that they will be healthier as they get older. Throughout the fall semester, UF graduate students have been visiting sixth grade classrooms at various schools around Findlay, including Glenwood Middle School and Donnel Middle School.

In its second year, Fitness Challenge addresses issues such as the benefits of exercise, physical activities students can do, monitoring heart rate and the food pyramid.

“The program promotes healthy living to young students so they can start to take care of themselves before it becomes a problem,” noted Julie Toney, UF’s academic coordinator of clinical education and assistant professor of physical therapy.

In a typical session, UF graduate students will introduce the topic for that day.  Then, the sixth-graders do an activity that deals with that topic.

For more information, contact Rebecca Shell, public relations officer, at 419-434-4345 or shell@findlay.edu.