In order to promote health, fitness and citizenship, the Carlton M. Viveiros Elementary School held a Family Fitness and Fun Day on Saturday, June 20, 2009. Viveiros students and family members were invited to sample group stretching and fitness exercises every hour and to participate in hourly cooking demonstrations held by staff of the University of Massachusetts Extension Nutrition Education Program. The program was underwritten by the Tufts University’s “Children In Balance” (CIB) program that is replicating the Shape Up Somerville childhood obesity prevention project in Fall River Schools. Project coordinator Marcia Picard and school principal Kristen Farias welcomed over two hundred parents and children who also had the chance to purchase locally-grown food, talk with farm and health organization representatives and win one of ten $50 grocery bags. Central to the Children In Balance program are the Healthy Activity Active Time (HEAT) Clubs that are currently operating in twelve after-school programs. Click here to see photos of a similar event held at the Greene School. Click here to see photos of one of the teacher training sessions. Click here to see photos of the food service employees training. Click here to see some of the school cafeteria meals.  For further information about the project, contact Project Manager Marcia Picard at 508-324-2228.

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(Top row, left) Hillary Maia and Paige St. Mour engage in a tug-of-war game. (Top row, center and right) Assistant principal Melissa Homol and her husband Greg, Fitness Center director at U-Mass-Dartmouth, lead children in some stretching exercises. (Middle row, left) Jeff Texeira joins students and parents in the gym for group dancing to the tunes of Ramu the D.J. of Select Sound. (Middle row, center) Assistant principal Melissa Homol joins school principal Kristen Farias on the stage. (Middle row, right) Fall River Tobacco Control coordinator Marilyn Edge talks with parents about discouraging children from taking up smoking. (Bottom row, left and right) University of Massachusetts Extension Nutrition Education Program director Pat Bebo engages children in a live cooking demonstration and responds to questions from parents. (Bottom row, center) Community Garden coordinator Ken Hague from the Church of the Holy Spirit recruits gardeners for spaces offered at no charge at Almond and Middle Street.