Schools and sports partnerships around the country have special initiatives to encourage girls into fitness
THE STUDENTS of the Loreto girls school in Foxrock, Co Dublin were buzzing in the run-up to the five kilometre run recently. It was one of the final events of the school's healthy living week which saw healthy lunch options made by the students themselves and free fruit available throughout the week.
"There was 90 per cent involvement in the mile run this year. Every PE class in the school participated and there was a prize for the best class. Those who ran it in under 8.3 minutes qualified for the five kilometre run," explains Siobhán Keogh, the school's sports co-ordinator.
The girls also got to sample other forms of exercise throughout the week and received stickers for every day they walked to school. "The two best things were the free fruit and the bouncy castle obstacle course," says Éimear Grehan.
"We got a chance to try out different kinds of activities like hip hop and boxercise," says Rebekah McKinney-Perry.
"The best thing about the week was that it reminded us how easy it is to get back into exercise and how it helps your concentration and makes you feel less tired," says Anne Duffy.
And the sixth years also enjoyed the tug-o-war against the teachers.
The issue of teenage girls not getting enough exercise has been widely reported.
Teenage boys often fare better as many develop a keen interest in team sports in secondary school. But, for the girls, the connection between being fit and healthy and looking and feeling good is often not made.
In recognition of this, some local sports partnerships have offered a range of exercise programmes to girls in secondary schools.
For example, the Laois Sports Partnership has organised classes in kick-boxing, aerobics, hip hop, t'ai chi and boxercise in 10 secondary schools in the county.
Similarly, the Kerry Local Sports Partnership organised exercise classes tied in with the Active8 HSE South initiative to promote more physical activity in teenage girls.
"We have run the Active8 activity programme in our school as part of our health promotion," says Eileen Kennelly, acting deputy principal at the Mercy Secondary School, Mounthawk, Tralee, Co Kerry. "We set up a health promotion committee five years ago with parents, students, management and staff and we run health weeks twice a year," she explains.
A nutrition sub-committee liaises with the canteen manager to ensure there are healthy lunch options and the school vending machines have a strict policy to have only healthy drinks and snacks. The school won the HSE health promotion schools award in 2008 for its efforts.
In some schools, the scope of health weeks is expanding all the time and some have guest speakers who come into the school to talk about the importance of good mental health, responsible socialising and the risks of alcohol and drug misuse.
Rose Tully, who works in the Community College in Roscrea, Co Offaly, is the public relations officer for the National Parents Council (post primary).
"Health weeks really depend on proactive teachers but they can also be built into the social, personal and health education programmes," she explains. "They are a great opportunity for students and staff. Parents associations can also get involved through funding lunchtime exercise classes."
Margot Brennan from the Irish Nutrition and Dieticians Institute says that health promotion weeks in schools are hugely important. "It's important that schools have a healthy eating policy which outline where certain products - such as sports drinks - fit in. Also, the policy should deal with vending machines."
Brennan says she has been invited into schools during health weeks and she is constantly amazed at the myths that are out there, particularly among girls.
"Girls have a total fascination with their weight and their skin and they need to understand the importance of not skipping breakfast and eating dairy products to help develop their bones," she explains.
"Boys also need to know the appropriate drinks and food to take before and after exercise."
Nuala Manion, principal of the Loreto school in Foxrock, says the effort put into the health weeks is huge but it's worth it.
"It's an extremely positive experience for the school as a whole. It encourages great school spirit and a healthy attitude to life in general.
"And happy and healthy girls learn better."
FIVE STEPS TO A HEALTHIER SCHOOL
1.Have a healthy eating policy which explains what a balanced diet is and ensure there are healthy and tasty lunch options in the school canteen and healthy drinks and snacks in the school vending machines.
2.Have at least one health week each year in which students and staff can try out a range of different exercises (eg hip hop, boxercise, t'ai chi, yoga) and participate in other health-promoting activities (eg free fruit, the school mile run, etc)
3.Invite guest speakers into the school to talk about specific issues such as good mental health, responsible socialising and the links between healthy eating, exercise and mental alertness.
4.Engage staff, students, parents and school management in the promotion of a healthy school through various committees.
5.Embed the message of healthy living into the whole school community through repeated formal and informal awareness raising.
