Youth Fitness
Recent reports from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention document that youth who are physically active and fit demonstrate higher levels of academic
performance and fewer behavioral problems. Legacy Charter School’s multifaceted approach to education
is based on the premise that a ‘sound body nurtures a sound mind.’ Physically active children tend to have
greater academic achievement and enhanced cognition. Physical activity has also been documented to
support learning capacity along with stimulating structural changes in the brain important for learning.
Only 4% of elementary schools, 8% of middle schools and 2% of high schools in the United States
provide daily physical education. Legacy Charter School is committed to the health and wellness of its
children and is
the only school in South Carolina to provide 45 minutes of physical education 5 days
per week to all children.
To support the physical education program, two fitness centers (Fuller Campus and Parker Campus)
housing stationary bikes, elliptical machines, and universal weight stations are utilized daily to promote
physical activity.
Parent Fitness
Legacy Charter School is committed to promoting healthy behaviors and is the only school in South
Carolina to provide every child, in all grade levels, 45 minutes of daily physical education, while
receiving nutritious meals exceeding current state and national recommendations. Legacy Charter School
also recognizes that positive health behaviors taught at school need to be reinforced at home. The
behaviors parents’ model consistently impact how children behave in and out of school. Health
behaviorists have written extensively illustrating the impact of direct observation and the behaviors
children replicate as a result of watching their parents. Parents who model healthy behaviors not only
improve their own wellness, but also demonstrate the importance of these healthy behaviors to their
children.
Unfortunately, three out of every five adults in South Carolina are either overweight or obese. These
trends are more prevalent among the African American community. Equally troubling is that
approximately 50% of adult males and 59% of adult females in Greenville do not participate in moderate intensity
physical activity. The second and third leading causes of death for adults in Greenville are
diseases of the heart and cerebro-vascular diseases, preventable with improved physical fitness.
Legacy Charter School therefore encourages all of its parents to actively participate in the school’s health
and fitness program.
By joining one of its fitness centers, parents learn important health from fitness
specialists holding degrees in Health Sciences from Furman University. Parents also learn the benefits of
regular in physical activity focusing on strategies to lead a healthy lifestyle. Legacy Charter is the only
school in South Carolina to provide its parents, free of charge with these unique opportunities.
Legacy Charter School Evening Tutoring Program
Participating in regular physical activity can clearly have a tremendous impact on physical health, as well
as significantly improving emotional and intellectual wellness. Yet, two out of three adults are not active
at recommended levels. Many personal variables, including physiological, behavioral, and psychological
factors affect physical activity participation. For instance, according to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, inconvenience and family obligations are two of the most frequently cited barriers
preventing adults from regular participation in physical activity.
To reduce these barriers and subsequent conflicts preventing parents from the opportunities to participate
in regular physical activity, Legacy Charter School provides a tutoring program each evening whereby
parents can use the fitness centers while their child(s) receives individualized instruction from a Furman
University student.