Carson City, NV -
January 26, 2016Carson City — Nevada Wellness and the Reno Bighorns basketball team have partnered to create the “Healthy Hoops” campaign, whose aim is to make physical activity and healthy nutrition fun for elementary school students in Northern Nevada.
To inspire Nevada children to be physically active, the Healthy Hoops campaign is challenging students in grades K-6 to compete in the “Instant Recess” dance contest. From Jan. 25 to March 18, elementary schools can make and submit their own video to be seen and, starting March 19, voted on by the public at nevadawellness.org. Competitors can visit the Nevada Wellness YouTube channel to see the Lady Bighorns perform an example of an “Instant Recess.”
The winning school will get to perform its “Instant Recess” routine live at the last Reno Bighorns game on April 2 and take home additional prizes from the team. See the Nevada Wellness website for challenge rules and regulations.
“To me, Nevada Wellness is all about eating right and having proper nutrition and getting involved physically so we are able to maximize our health and our overall performance daily in life,” said Reno Bighorns guard Reggie Hearn.
Professional athletes such as Hearn grow up practicing their sport every chance they get, so they get plenty of activity. But experts know that’s not the story with most kids. According to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition, only one in three children are physically active every day. Furthermore, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years.
“This is why we are inspiring school-age children to live a healthier life,” said Nevada Wellness manager Melanie Flores.
In addition, Reno Bighorns players and Nevada Wellness experts will be visiting eight Northern Nevada elementary schools, hosting assemblies to talk with students and inspire them to live a healthier life.
The assembly dates are confirmed for February and tentative for March:
Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. - Gardnerville Elementary School, 1290 Toler Ave.
Feb. 12 at 10 a.m. - Rita Cannan Elementary School, 2450 Cannan St., Reno
Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. - Sonoma Heights Elementary School, 1500 Melarkey St., Winnemucca
TBA at 1 p.m. - Mark Twain Elementary School, 2111 Carriage Crest Drive, Carson City
TBA at 10 a.m. - Yerington Elementary School, 112 N. California St., Yerington
TBA at 1:30 p.m. - Silver Stage Elementary School, 3800 Spruce Ave., Silver Springs
TBA at 9:30 a.m. - Southside Elementary School, 501 S. 9th St., Elko
In addition, the Reno Bighorns will be hosting a fun school day with education, fitness, a basketball game and entertainment at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at the Reno Events Center, 400 N. Center St. Members of the media are invited to attend to interview players and see the efforts of the Healthy Hoops campaign in action.
For more information, visit http://nevadawellness.org/healthy-hoops-challenge/ or contact Melanie Flores at mflores@health.nv.gov or 775-687-7509.