Healthy living is one of the seven core areas of 4-H programming. It is included in the 4-H Pledge: “I pledge my health to better living”. According to research, moderate physical activity can reduce the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, stress and high blood pressure. Children and youth should engage in 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. The National 4-H Healthy Living Task Force believes that healthy living habits of young people begin in the context of their families and communities, strives to equip youth with healthy living knowledge and skills that will prepare them physically, emotionally, and socially to meet the challenges that lies ahead.

The Rowan County 4-H program provided a five day fitness and teambuilding education program to 252 middle school youth to improve their physical activity and teambuilding skills leading to a healthier lifestyle. The students were divided into different teams that enabled them to be engaged and communicate with other students. Each day the Rowan County 4-H program conducted physical activity and teambuilding challenge lessons to build healthier living into the lives of the students. Another purpose of the program was to get the students more involved in physical education classes and to exhibit exercising in a fun manner. 

85% of the students fully participated in the program and understood the importance of daily physical activity, 55% of the students were currently involved in extra curricula activities afterschool that enabled them to participate in physical activity, and 75% of the students adopted healthy behaviors that will lead to a healthy lifestyles physically, emotionally and socially. 

At the end of the physical activity and building challenges, the winning team received items to help them be more accountable for living a healthy life.