Capital Health Plan Celebrates 20 Years of the CHP CHAMPIONS™ Student Fitness Program

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Sept. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital Health Plan (CHP), the Big Bend's trusted health care partner, proudly marked the 20th anniversary of its CHAMPIONS™ Student Fitness Program with a celebration at Gilchrist Elementary School, where the program began. The CHP CHAMPIONS™ Student Fitness Program is a local initiative dedicated to promoting community health and reducing childhood obesity through school-based fitness activities.

Since 2004, the CHP CHAMPIONS™ Student Fitness Program has benefited over 20,000 students a year and over 120,000 unique students in six counties. The program's evidence-based and outcomes-driven curriculum meets and exceeds state and national Physical Education standards while enhancing gross motor skills, flexibility, posture, balance, and coordination, fostering long-term physical development and a healthier future for our community's youth.

"In the 2022-23 school year alone, the CHP CHAMPIONS™ Student Fitness Program reached a record 20,400 students," said Sabin Bass, President and CEO of Capital Health Plan. "Reaching the 20-year milestone is a testament to our commitment to improving children's health and fitness, and we look forward to many more years of enhancing the lives and well-being of children throughout the community."

Notable milestones of the CHP CHAMPIONS™ Student Fitness Program include:

• 2004-05: Launch of the pilot program in partnership with Leon County Schools and Titus Sports Academy.
• 2008: Expansion to Gadsden, Calhoun, Jefferson, and Wakulla counties, reaching 1,800 students in 29 schools.
• 2012-13: Growth into one of the largest school-based physical activity programs globally.
• 2019: Annual participation grows to 20,000 students across six counties, impacting over 120,000 students since its inception.
• 2020: Launch of a virtual version due to COVID-19, offering 39 weeks of remote programming.
• 2021: Return to in-person sessions in Leon County, with the virtual program supporting rural schools.
• 2023: The program returns to all schools in Leon County, adding 3,000 new students and expanding to a new middle school in a rural county.
• 2024-25: Planned expansion into additional remote counties to further extend the program's reach.

"Today's celebration marks an incredible journey of two decades dedicated to improving the health and fitness of our youth," said CHAMPIONS™ CEO Adam Faurot, who is also CEO of Titus Sports Academy. "The success of the CHP CHAMPIONS™ Student Fitness Program is a community effort, and we are so grateful for the continued support."

Learn more at https://mychampions.com/impact/. 

SOURCE Capital Health Plan