Springhill Lake Teacher Gives Kids a Healthy Start

Even before the launch of First Lady Michelle Obama's healthy eating initiative, Stephanie Kohout led her own movement at.

Kohout, a physical education teacher, began the early morning workout club challenging students to exercise before the morning bell sounds. Kohout said that studies suggest a correlation between a child's brain blood flow and academic performance. Her claim is also supported by the organization Action for Healthy Kids, which touts the phrase, "Healthy kids learn better … kids who are healthy come to school, pay attention, can have better test scores and are more likely to succeed."

Kohout's workout program was such a hit that it inspired other teachers to establish their own daily regimen and collective program. Kohout's early success encouraged her to push for implementation of a wellness program to the school's curriculum.

In 2009, Kohout received a Team Nutrition Grant of $10,000 through the Department of Education, to educate students about healthy eating and being active every day. The fundraising allowed Kohout to create a byproduct of the workout program, a cooking class designed to promote healthy eating habits.

Springhill Lake's cooking class began last year, with 100 kids participating and 100 wait listed. At the end of the year, students participated in a Top Chef-style competition to create their own healthy recipes to present to community leaders around the area for tasting. All of the recipes created were published in their own cookbook to take and use at home.

The remainder of the 2009-2010 grant will support the 2010-2011 cooking class; however, with less than $1,000, Kohout is determined to raise additional funds and grants to increase participation for this year's program. Kouhout's program has been acknowledged by former President Bill Clinton's sponsored program, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, and her contributions will be recognized by the end of the academic year.

It is her personal concern and connection to the students that drives the initiative.

"Today, one-in-three American children are overweight or obese," Kohout said. She added that today's children are projected to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.