WORCESTER _ A month-long health program that began Jan. 4 in Worcester Central School is already showing returns, one of its 13 student participants said.
"I've started to actually eat breakfast," said Crystle Schmiedel, a 10th-grader, about her involvement with the opportunity provided by At Home Care Inc. of Oneonta.
Kids Connect is a telehealth program that the health care agency started to see if changes in eating habits and activity levels can improve student health, according to its coordinator, Glenna Carey.
The progress will be assessed after 30 days and it could be extended for another month, she said.
"It seemed like a good opportunity," Schmiedel said about why she volunteered. If she wanted to do something like this outside of school, "it wouldn't be free," she said.
She has already learned that adding a morning meal helps her metabolism work better.
The student participants, only one of whom is in the elementary school, use an interactive monitor, connected to the At Home office, set behind a screen in the nurse's office for some privacy. They measure and discuss readings on weight, blood pressure and other vitals with At Home staff, Carey said.
In addition, physical therapist Jeremy Pain and nutritionist Kate Waltz from the agency meet with the students to discuss how they can improve their health.
A student's body-mass index, a measurement using height and weight, is calculated so volunteers who might be at risk for related health problems, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, participate, Carey said.
At Home Care Executive Director Laurie Neander successfully applied for a $117,000 grant from the state Department of Health to fund the program, which could be a model for similar efforts by other agencies.
The program will be evaluated at the end of its initial run and could be extended for another 30 days, Carey said.
Tenth-grader Cecilia Ball demonstrated the system on Tuesday. A small box in the monitor shows the video of the At Home staff member who talks with her about what the readings indicated.
She comes down to the nurses office every other day, stepping out of class for five to ten minutes. She joined because she wanted to lose weight and feel better about herself and it is working, she said.
After meeting with the nutritionist last Monday, she learned, "when you eat breakfast you' re not as sleepy (than if you don't)," she said.
"It kicks your metabolism in and makes it work." She has learned techniques to change her lifestyle, such as eating smaller portions.
"I really want to keep up with it," she said.
Schmiedel said in working with a physical therapist she has learned a number of exercises, that involved tightening leg and stomach muscles that can be done at any time during the day.
Eleventh-grader Jordon Beverland said she got involved "just to be healthier."
Although she was nervous at first about what others might say, she found, "everyone has been very encouraging."
