Four hundred and 35 students and 42 staff members took part in Hepburn-Lycoming Elementary School's new student and staff wellness program Tuesday morning by walking one mile around the school's campus.

"I am a firm believer in teaching students life-long habits concerning nutrition and physical fitness," said Principal Robert Williams.

Williams, a former principal at Round Hills Elementary School, said he wanted to continue the importance of healthy living now that he's transplanted to another school in the district.

"I was at a school which was designated a Keystone Healthy Zone and had received a Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Activity grant," he added. "I had the desire to continue in this school and asked for volunteers, and Jennifer Griswold, a physical education teacher, agreed to chair the committee."

The program's committee will be made up of six faculty and support staff members, Williams said, who plan to expand the wellness program for the faculty.

"This is extremely important," Williams said with regard to the students.

"Every month there seems to be a new report dealing with childhood obesity," he continued. "We want to encourage our students to develop a healthy lifestyle at a young age."

The principal said he is also encouraging students to extend the healthy lifestyle concept to their parents by offering to walk with them for a mile after the "Walk At School" event.

"The students were excited," Williams added, "because they knew they could walk an entire mile and it invigorated them to go back to the classroom with an energetic approach to learning."

Another event is already being worked on for Oct. 28, he said, which will be an apple crunch day - a national day that will concentrate on teaching nutritious eating when every student is encouraged to eat an apple.