PHOTOS: Healthy Living Promoted Among Teens at Ankeny High School

Last week, , in conjunction with the U.S. Army, local businesses and Gov. Terry Branstad’s Live Healthy Iowa campaign, hosted the Health & Fitness Expo at AHS to promote healthy living among Ankeny teens.

The expo, held on April 11, kicked off with army representatives presenting AHS PE teacher Holly Anderson with a copy of the governor's proclamation naming this week "Strong and Healthy Students Week."  

A group from also gave students and staff a kickboxing and strength training demonstration, and special guest Tony Haman, a former PE teacher and professional bodybuilder who enters only drug-free competitions, talked to students about health that goes beyond bodybuilding.

“Be a good person, eat right and work out,” Haman said. “Be kind to each other and to your families. This is a time in your life when things can really change.”

After the presentations, physical education students visited the various displays and talked with vendors and health organizations. Holly W. Anderson, head of the AHS Physical Education and Health Department, was one of the expo’s organizers.

“We want to show high school kids the many opportunities and options they have for health and fitness after they leave high school,” Anderson said. “So we teamed with area businesses to promote the philosophy of lifetime fitness and wellness for students.”

Captain John Hintz, of the U.S. Army, said one of the reasons AHS was chosen as a site for the expo was because it is known as a “powerhouse in sports.” Hintz lauded the recent accomplishments of AHS boys’ and girls’ basketball, football and soccer teams.

He also commended senior shooting guard Maddie Manning, who was named Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year in girls’ basketball, and wrestler Ross Larson, a two-time state champion who recently signed with the University of Oklahoma.

“We do it because it makes a difference,” said Lt. Col. Jon Hinck of the U.S. Army. “This is a community collaboration. Physical, mental and emotional fitness are all tied together.”

In addition to Farrell’s, representatives from several vendors were on hand for the expo including KISS 107FM, Hy-Vee Nutrition, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Cross Fit 515, Dymatize, Live Healthy Iowa, Iowa Games, Game Stop, Drake University and the YMCA.

According to www.letsmove.gov, the website dedicated to First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign, nearly one in three children is overweight or obese. Let's Move was created to fight the childhood epidemic of obesity.

One might understand an educator's interest, an area business owner’s interest, or the Let's Move organization's interest in the well-being of youth, but why the Army?

“Obesity in the United States has become a national security issue,” Hintz said. “This national problem is putting a strain on our national healthcare costs and making it more difficult to find qualified applicants to serve in our military.”

One of the goals of the Iowa Army Community Advisory Board is to identify issues that affect area youth and come up with possible assets and solutions to improve school drop-out rates, education, employment, health, fitness, well-being, as well as being a “giving guest” in communities. The board meets quarterly and consists of Iowa civic leaders and Army officials.

 “The military has addressed fitness and health issues on Army installations throughout the world to assist spouses and children of Soldiers improve their well-being for a number of years (www.hooah4health.com)," Hintz said. "Almost 3000 deaths in the United States occur each year, attributed to unhealthy dietary habits or physical inactivity. Nearly two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese in our nation and more than 18 percent of young adults are obese."

"Since our youth are our future the advisory board members came up with the idea to put together health and fitness specialists that would capture the attention of high schools students and share the fact that your health is your future. Strong healthy students lead to strong healthy futures," Hintz said.