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George Gibson, owner of The Fitness Zone in Lugoff, SC,
presents Doby's Mill Elementary School Librarian, Betsy Long
(pictured with Cathy Peake's 4th graders)
with a $300 check to assist in funding
some of the school's student health initiatives.
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Avid
runner and school librarian Betsy Long knows how to get kids moving. You Go,
Girls, a 4th & 5th grade running club for girls, Doby's Dashers or D2, a running club for boys, and morning exercise program Brain Sparks, are three health
initiatives she created and runs at Doby's Mill Elementary School in Elgin,
South Carolina.
“Our
children live in an age in which computers rule and obesity kills,” said Long.
“Every step we can take to combat the negative effect of a sedentary lifestyle
is meaningful.” Her students live in a
high-poverty area of South Carolina. There are not many opportunities for these
children to exercise unless they are enrolled in after-school athletic
activities, which can be pricey and cumbersome, if not impossible, for numerous
single-parent families to manage. There are very few public walking or exercise
facilities in the school's immediate vicinity, and roughly half of the students
are classified as obese.
Betsy
Long’s efforts have been well-received by the community. Students rush to sign up for the clubs, and
local stores such as The Fitness Zone have supported her efforts with
donations. Long is a creative problem
solver. She recently used Donors
Choose.org to raise funds to purchase ergonomic computer chairs.
Doby’s Mill Principal Virginia Catoe said, “BrainSparks
helps students build self-confidence while providing them with regular
cardiovascular exercise (running, yoga, pilates, etc.) each morning to prepare
them mentally, physically, and emotionally for their day. Her mentorship has
assisted our school by reducing tardiness, improving attendance, and promoting
on task behavior for this at-risk student group!”
Long is the recipient
of the 2011 I Love My Librarian Award, and was named the 2008 Media Specialist of the Year by the South Carolina Association
of School Librarians, 2006 Wal-mart Teacher of the Year, and 2006 Doby's Mill
Elementary School Teacher of the Year.
Photo: Jennings, Tanessa. "The Fitness Zone donates $300 to Doby’s Mill
Elementary School." Your
Community Kershaw County. WISTV.com. Web. 17 Dec 2013.
<http://kershawcounty.wistv.com/news/business/54666-fitness-zone-donates-300-dobys-mill-elementary-school>.
