About Us In 2003, Capital Health Plan (CHP), a regional HMO, developed a broad-based partnership to create a healthier community by promoting exercise and fitness. The program’s founding partners of the “Stepping Toward Health Coalition” were Capital Health Plan, The Leon County Schools, the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, the City of Tallahassee, Florida A&M University, Florida State University, Tallahassee Community College and the Tallahassee Sports Council. These partners shared a strong concern about the mounting evidence that obesity had reached epidemic proportions in our country. With one in four children and nearly one in three adults classified as obese (30% above normal body weight), something had to be done. Not only was the situation creating a serious healthcare crisis, but the severe physical consequences like diabetes, heart disease, lack of energy, weakened joints, and poor self-esteem also presented significant economic threats to workforce effectiveness and the future affordability of healthcare. During a press conference, Florida Department of Health Secretary John Agwunobi and Leon County Schools Superintendent Bill Montford announced a new initiative to address the growing concerns regarding childhood obesity and its long-term effects on future wellness. Superintendent Montford stated, “Our goal is not to turn every child into an athlete. Simple exercise, like walking or riding a bike, if done on a regular basis, can have enormous physical benefits.” He made a commitment to work with every school in Leon County to develop appropriate wellness-based activities and to improve the health and wellness of Leon County school-aged children. Superintendent Montford held a Town Hall meeting that gathered a standing-room-only crowd of citizens concerned about the future health of our children. A consortium of community leaders also gathered to discuss the growing problem. The pilot CHP CHAMPIONS™ Student Fitness Program was launched in 2005 as a way to improve a child’s five physical qualities, which include: Flexibility/ Mobility Strength Speed Agility Endurance In August 2005, the Leon County School District and Titus Sports Academy agreed to form a partnership to pilot a student fitness program during the extended-day hours of the school day. The focus of the program was to provide students with developmental physical activity by incorporating training principles used at Titus Sports Academy. The program was launched at Gilchrist Elementary School and soon expanded to reach more students through this partnership. The full rollout of the program was in 2006. The overall goal was to develop a fitness program for students to improve their health and promote life-long wellness. In addition, this partnership effort met the Leon County Schools District’s Wellness Policy statements for physical activity and community partnerships. In 2008, the program expanded into Gadsden, Calhoun, Jefferson, and Wakulla counties, serving more than 1,800 students in 29 area schools, including the first high school. Additionally, the CHP CHAMPIONS™ Student Fitness Program received independent analysis and evidence-based recognition from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, the University of Minnesota, and Oregon State University, further solidifying its effectiveness and impact. By the 2012-13 school year, the program was one of the largest physical activity programs in the world. In 2019, participation in six counties in Northwest Florida reached about 20,000 students annually and over 120,000 students since the program’s inception. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CHP Champions program developed a Virtual CHP CHAMPIONS™ Student Fitness Program platform, providing over 39 weeks of programming accessible to all families within the service area, ensuring that the program’s benefits continued despite school closures. In 2021, the program transitioned back to in-person sessions in Leon County Schools, with additional schools added during the term. The virtual platform continued to support students in rural areas. In 2022, the initiative reached a milestone with over 120,000 students participating across 45 schools in Leon, Wakulla, Gadsden, Calhoun, and Liberty Counties. The results were encouraging, with a 1.0% decrease in the obese population and a 0.6% increase in the average BMI population. Building on this success, 2023 saw the program fully return to all schools in Leon County, welcoming approximately 3,000 new students. Additionally, a new middle school in a rural county was included, with high expectations for positive outcomes from this new group of participants. Looking ahead to the 2024-2025 school year, there are plans to expand the CHP CHAMPIONS™ Student Fitness Program into remote counties, further extending its reach and impact.