The holiday season is upon us. For most of us, cold weather and holiday parties are the perfect recipe for avoiding healthy habits. Although the season is full of magic and holiday cheer, family traditions and festivities often contribute to unhealthy behaviors like overeating, inactivity, and stress. The temptation to indulge at end of the year makes it the perfect time to remember the benefits of physical activity.

On November 12, the US Department of Health and Human Services released the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2^nd edition, which serves as a reminder of the amount of physical activity needed to maintain or improve overall health and reduce the risk of chronic disease. The guide emphasizes the importance of incorporating physical activity as part of your lifestyle at a young age. In fact, kids and teens ages 6 to 17 need 60 minutes of physical activity every day. While it can be challenging to encourage kids to be active, schools are in a unique position to help youth develop healthy habits.

Riverview School District, a Live Well Allegheny School, is providing opportunities for their students to focus on health and wellness. On November 20^th, students at Riverview Junior-Senior High School celebrated physical activity at the second annual Turkey Trot, a school-wide health and wellness event. The event featured three physical activity stations, healthy snacks, and a donation drive.

Students participated in an obstacle course walk/run, a boot camp exercise, and yoga. The school partnered with the U.S. Marines to facilitate the boot camp exercise, which involved strength-training activities and team building. Additionally, a local yoga studio, Homegrown Yoga, led the students in a 30-minute yoga session. The three activity stations provided students with skills to build physical endurance and strength and to reduce stress. To encourage student participation, students who completed all three stations had a chance to win an Amazon gift card. Riverview’s Turkey Trot is a great example of how schools can prioritize lifelong health in a fun and engaging way. Live Well Allegheny congratulates Riverview on the success of the event and looks forward to the third annual Turkey Trot!