Summer Program Fights Obesity and Champions Reading

Bowie Elementary has a summer program that fights obesity and helps children's literacy at the same time.  Started by the librarian and gym teacher at that school, the program has been a huge success and hopes to expand to other schools next year, The San Marcos Record reports.

The program is called "Run-Read-Succeed" and is meant to work on two things that slip during the summer break:  reading and fitness.  It is funded by a grant from the San Marcos Education Foundation and is an exercise and literacy program provided completely free, including transportation, for 30 students in second and third grade.

The program lasts for three hours in the morning during the month of June, once a week except for the last week when it meets twice, and consists of the children getting warmed up for the day, then splitting into two groups.  One group starts in the gym with physical education and the other goes to the library where they hear a book read aloud, discuss it, and check books out for home.  Then halfway through, the groups switch.

At the end of the camp, each child will be sent home with a couple of books to keep, a jump rope and both a reading and a fitness log.  When school starts in the Fall, children who bring back their filled out logs will receive a t-shirt.  The program has been so popular that parents from other schools are eager to try and bring it to their campuses.  The teachers hope to expand Run-Read-Succeed next summer.

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