The Rhode Island College Health and Physical Education Department places student interns in the Providence Region as part of its programs in Health Education, Physical Education and Community Health and Wellness. This year, senior Kara Strang of Swansea arranged to do her 14-week internship with Partners for a Healthier Community. In this role, she worked with a variety of programs including Family Fun Nights, Durfee career day, worksite wellness promotion, the Mass in Motion WalkFallRiver project, and the annual Fitness Challenge. For her major project, Ms. Strang chose to study the school-based aspect of the Fitness Challenge that motivates school physical fitness teachers to offer activities that promote wellness beyond what is offered in their regular classes. "There were some really amazing projects that were created by the teachers this year," noted Strang during her poster presentation at the Adams Library on April 25, 2016. Click here for a nine-minute video of the poster presentation. For more information contact School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard at 774-319-0107.

(Top row) Partners School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard goes to the Adams Library on the Rhode lsland College campus where she meets intern Kara Strang during her poster session. (Row two) Fellow student Kyle Kaiser looks over Kara's poster before she goes over the details of her report with Ms. Picard. (Row three) Assistant professor Carol Cummings, center, who arranged the internship placement with Partners, talks with students and poses for a photo with Kara. (Bottom row) Kara points out her findings, including some of the exceptional ideas that helped to motivate children to be more active during the school-based Challenge.