The Gingerbread Squad of Jaime Combs, Heidi Steiner, Ryan Dunlap, and Missy Smith won $1,500 for Bluffton Elementary School in the Health Action Council Healthy Kids Spring Step It Up Challenge. These top steppers averaged 809,363 steps.

This is the second first place win for these fit and active competitors.

The Spring Healthy Kids Step It Up Challenge, powered by Health Action Council, is a national no-cost, four-week step program that promotes overall health and well-being for schools and the community. School administrators, educators, and parents stepped to model healthy habits, show leadership, and win money.

The theme for this challenge was Scavenger Hunt. “Having an overarching challenge like a scavenger hunt helps teams collaborate, challenge each other and achieve a collective goal,” said Patty Starr, President & CEO of Health Action Council.

The Gingerbread Squad modeled good habits for students through actions such as participating in physical education classes, talking about the importance of physical and mental health, participating in team sport activities and encouraging students to also take extra steps throughout the day.

This challenge attracted 319 participants from 38 teams, achieving a collective step goal, and having over 81,221,186 total steps, which unlocked a $500 donation to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northeast Indiana. 

Second place winners were, “Watch Us Shine” from Perry Local Schools, consisting of fitness fanatics, Kayla Rackovan, Heather Soutar, and Jenn Zack, brining home $1,250 and averaging 656,124 total steps.

Third place was awarded to “The History of Math in the Civil War” from Northern Local Schools, consisting of wellness warriors from Sheridan High School, Adam Huffman, J.D. Walters, Chris Walters, Katie Huffman, and John Covey.  The team won $1,000  and averaged 593,141 average total steps.