According to the United States Centers for Disease and Control Prevention, Children around the ages of six and seventeen need at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Physical activity helps to build muscles and strengthen bones. Activities can include climbing or doing pushups to build muscles or running and jumping to strengthen bones. Other benefits to physical activity can help improve attention and memory and maintain a healthy weight. 

A Monroe County Elementary Summer School Coordinator suggested an exercise program to the Monroe County Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent for a summer school program with the students. Monroe County Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent presented the LEAP (Literacy Eating and Activity for the Youth Program) program to the students who attended summer school at the elementary schools in the Monroe County School District. The LEAP program provides students with a story related to nutrition, exercising, or hand washing topics. Games and activities are also included along with the students getting a healthy snack to sample. Each lesson is also provided with a newsletter with a recipe and food nutrition and food safety tips for families to read.

About eighty-five students attended the program. The students consisted of both genders around the school ages of kindergarten and third grade. The stories presented included exercising topics with simple exercises such as jumping jacks, jogging in place, push-ups, and stretches that each student got to practice and learn how to do so they can stay active at home or at school on the playground. Each student also got to sample a healthy snack after exercising. 

Each Summer School Coordinator from all three elementary schools observed that the students loved and talked very positively about the program. They all said the students talked about how fun the program was and loved trying the exercises and the healthy snacks. About thirty-three students had informed the Monroe County Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent that they have intentions to be more physically active by trying the exercises from the LEAP program at home. This fall, the Monroe County Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent will have an opportunity to present the LEAP program to the students who participate in the afterschool program in the elementary schools of the Monroe County School District.