Leading Ladies and PTA host wellness challenge

Childhood and teenage obesity is on the rise throughout the nation. Developing healthy lifestyles is an initiative promoted by both the national Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and First Lady Michelle Obama. In an effort to support that initiative, Leading Ladies Inc., the empowerment club at Cleveland Heights High School, will collaborate with the local PTA to bring the 4th annual Healthy Lifestyles Wellness Challenge to the community.

Last year’s target audience comprised students in grades 6–12 and their families. With support from Reaching Heights, the Cleveland Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, and University Hospitals, students and their families received healthy lifestyle information and participated in karate demonstrations, Wii fitness challenges, cooking demonstrations, ballroom dancing and more.

This year Leading Ladies has expanded its target audience to include all students in kindergarten through grade 12 and their families. The goal for this year’s Healthy Lifestyles Wellness Challenge is to utilize community resources in an engaging and interactive atmosphere, to ensure that parents and students become informed consumers and make healthful nutritional and activity choices.

Leading Ladies is asking for help from the community. The following is a list of items and services the organization needs to make this year’s wellness challenge a success:

  • Healthy foods and bottled water for sampling;
  • Exercise cycles, bicycles, weights, pedometers, jump ropes, exercise DVDs, grocery store gift cards and fruit baskets for door prizes and raffle;
  • Complimentary fitness center memberships for raffle;
  • Cash donations and sponsorships;
  • Record keeping items, such as calculators, bank record books, pencils and printing services for brochures;
  • Health professional volunteers to staff interactive/informational booths.

This year’s Healthy Lifestyles Wellness Challenge will be held on Thursday, Nov. 17, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Heights High.

The African saying, "It takes a village to raise a child," applies to the wellness challenge, and community residents are a vital part of this "village." Individual and group support will be greatly appreciated. Interested parties should contact Sabrina Humphries at 216-269-0160, sabrinahumphries@yahoo.com or Melissa Walls at 216-544-1242, melonthego2@yahoo.com.

Sabrina Humphries

Sabrina Humphries has been a teacher for more than 30 years. She is the founder and director of Leading Ladies. 

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Volume 4, Issue 10, Posted 2:05 PM, 09.27.2011