A ‘Healthy’ Surprise: City ESP walkers awarded bikes and helmets for performances
Published 4:52 pm Monday, April 24, 2017
Star Photo/Curtis Carden Smiles were had by all Saturday morning as select ESP children earned bikes for their work in the Walking Club.
Star Photo/Curtis Carden Seven Elizabethton City Schools students part of the Extended School Program (ESP) Walking Club received a special surprise Saturday by earning a free bike and helmet. The students received the bikes for their amount of time walking. The event was held in conjunction between ESP, Carter County Health Department and Wal-Mart. Pictured are Anneliese Wright, Maggie Tester, Cooper Cole, Nathaniel Copp, Holly Gaylon, Aubrey Sparks and Justin Dial.
Star Photo/Curtis Carden After munching down on some cake, students were given the opportunity to select their bike of choice.
Star Photo/Curtis Carden Six of the seven students pose with their new bikes.
Saturday morning proved to be eventful for a handful of seven city school students.
The Elizabethton City Schools Extended School Program (ESP) and Carter County Health Department partnered with Wal-Mart of Elizabethton to recognize top walkers in each grade level (Pre-K through fifth grade) from the ESP Walking Club. In a surprise that netted smiles and laughter, each of the top walkers received a bike and helmet for their work to stay healthy in the program.
Students recognized include:
• Pre-K – Anneliese Wright (360 minutes)
• Kindergarten – Maggie Tester (510 minutes)
• First Grade – Cooper Cole (609 minutes)
• Third Grade – Holly Gaylon (339 minutes)
• Fourth Grade – Aubrey Sparks (522 minutes)
• Fifth Grade – Justin Dial (572 minutes)
ESP Director Carrie Taylor, who welcomed the families to the event, added the event was a great way to recognize students that went above and beyond during the Walking Club.
After receiving complimentary cake recognizing their accomplishments, students had the opportunity to go through the variety of bikes and helmets available.
While top walkers were recognized Saturday, the entire Walking Club have done a tremendous job so far, according to Taylor.
From January to March of this year, 208 kids that are part of the program have already walked 60,268 minutes collectively, walking almost every day.
Since its creation last year, the Walking Club partnered with the health department — who brought the “Regional Roadmap 2: Down the Road to a Healthier Appalachia” grant to Taylor’s attention. The program was able to receive the grant, totaled at $2,500, to purchase incentives for kids and tools to monitor their progress. Once a month, members of the health department walk with students that are part of the Walking Group.
