Saint Louis Public Schools Students Continue to Combat Obesity With 3rd Annual Flash Mob Dance

St. Louis Public School (SLPS) students in elementary and middle grade levels continue to take steps to improve their health and combat obesity. The third annual Let’s Move STL Move Your Body flash mob will take place to help them along their journey. The entire metropolitan community is invited to join in the Move Your Body fun on Friday, May 5, at 9:45 a.m. at BallPark Village.

Students at all SLPS elementary schools and select middle schools will join together for a synchronized dance routine. The event is sponsored by Let's Move! STL, the Healthy Schools Healthy Communities initiative, in partnership with SLPS, the City of St. Louis Department of Health, and BJC School Outreach and Youth Development.

Last year’s flash mob was a huge success, with over 14,000 students, teachers, and community partners spending the morning engaged in fun and physical activity. To keep the momentum of healthy living going, SLPS and community partners will be hosting this year’s event. Students have been dusting off their dancing shoes from last year and are ready to perform not one, but two dance routines. They will perform Beyonce’s “Move Your Body” routine and the “Gimme 5” dance to Kids Bop “Uptown Funk.”

“Programs like Let's Move! STL and AIM for Fitness, have helped SLPS tackle the issue of childhood obesity for many years with a focus on nutrition, physical activity and teaching students about the importance of embracing a healthy, active lifestyle,” said Leanne White, project director for St. Louis Public Schools.

“Let’s Move! STL enjoys being a part of the growing interest for health and physical activity in the Saint Louis Public Schools” said Melissa Ramel, the Let’s Move! STL coordinator for the City of St. Louis Department of Health. “The partnerships that have been created from this annual event continue to prove essential to making the St. Louis community healthier.”

For more information about the flash mob on May 5, 2017, the Healthy Schools Healthy Communities initiative or Let’s Move! STL, please contact:

M. Leanne White, Project Director – St. Louis Public Schools Margaret.White@slps.org 314-345-4403

Melissa Ramel, Let’s Move! STL Coordinator – City of St. Louis Department of Health ramelm@stlouis-mo.gov 314-657-1571

Erica Oliver, Community Health Partner – BJC School Outreach and Youth Development Erica.Oliver@bjc.org 314-286-0539

About Healthy Schools Healthy Communities

Healthy Schools Healthy Communities (HSHC) empowers communities to build a healthier future for children and families across Missouri. An initiative of Missouri Foundation for Health, HSHC brings together schools, community organizations, businesses, parents, and residents to identify and push for changes that increase access to healthy food and physical activity where our kids live, learn and play. St. Louis Public Schools and BJC School Outreach and Youth Development are co-leading the HSHC initiative in the City of St. Louis, currently targeting the Carr Square, Carondelet and Greater Ville communities.

About Let’s Move! STL 

Let’s Move! STL is a comprehensive initiative to combat and solve the challenge of obesity and diseases related to poor diet and fitness by leveraging community resources, coordinating partnerships and engaging the community towards the goal of zero obesity by 2020. The City of St. Louis Department of Health is the lead coordinating agency for Let’s Move! STL.

About St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS)

Saint Louis Public Schools has been preparing students for a bright future since 1858. The District serves approximately 26,000 children in preschool through grade 12. With more than 70 schools, including Magnet and Choice schools, SLPS has a school to fit every child’s needs. For more information about SLPS, visit the District’s website at www.slps.org or follow the District on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or Facebook.

About BJC School Outreach and Youth Development

BJC School Outreach and Youth Development, a division of BJC HealthCare, provides health prevention education and career exploration opportunities for students. It offers programs to equip young people with the information and skills they need to become health literate, increase academic performance and reduce high-risk behavior.