“Helping people of all ages establish the habit of regular physical activity”

1. 2008 Centra Update “Helping people of all ages establish the habit of regular physical activity” Alice Kirk, MPH Child Health Specialist Texas Agrilife Extension Service Texas A&M University System Carol Rice, PhD, RN Health Specialist Texas Agrilife Extension Service Texas A&M University System

2. Session Overview • Review of WAT history • 2007 Program results (preliminary) • Program outreach to diverse audiences • Pilot testing of NEW WAT mini-lesson series • Reporting and Model plans • Database Reminders • Scenarios of Frequently Asked Questions • Texercise and WAT Partnership Opportunity • Questions

3. Walk Across Texas! • Walk Across Texas (WAT) is a fun way to get moving! • All it takes is 8 weeks and people willing to get physically active! • It is an outcome program with results • Shows increase in mileage from week 1 to week 8 • Shows economic impact • All data must be entered online in order to obtain impact • Impact is calculated for adults only

4. Program History • Developed in 1996 • Collaboration of Extension Health specialists, County agents and community partners • Pilot tested in select counties in 1996 • Program website & on-line data entry system developed in 2002 http://walkacrosstexas.tamu.edu • Recognized in 2005 as a “Best Practice Physical Activity Program” by the Texas Department of State Health Services • Available thru the local County Extension Agent

5. WAT Participation • Three Ways to Participate • Individuals • Walk 830 miles across the state by yourself • Groups • Teams of 8 compete against each other • Walk across the state first and/or • Walk the most miles during the 8-weeks • Worksites can compete • Schools • Students in a class are a team • Classes within a school compete with each other • Schools CAN compete with other schools in their district

6. Your Role as the Agent • Be as involved as you want! • Use your coalition or advisory group to help you with duties! • Train volunteers and/or team captains to enter data on-line! • Think of yourself as the “Manager” of WAT for your county.

7. Managing WAT 1. Serve as county site manager • For example, Agent Angela • Forms coalition to plan kick-off, mid-way and celebration activities • Recruits teams from county • Trains team captains on data entry and responsibilities 2. Train others to serve as site managers at worksites • For example, Agent Angela trains • Hospital A • Hospital B • Commissioner’s Court • Sheriff's Department • Each of these locations: • Identifies and trains their Team Captains • Recruits teams • Develops plans for kick-off, mid-way and celebration activities or • Decides to participate in county activities (planned by coalition)

8. Establishing WAT Coalition or Advisory Group • Set date for meeting(s) • Call and send letters inviting representatives from: • Groups you want to target • Places likely to recruit large group of walkers • Community agencies • At meeting(s) discuss: • Kick-Off date • Publicity & marketing • Recruitment • Training Captains- Set a date • Incentives/gifts • Motivational activities • Optional activities • If you are managing WAT with multiple site managers, they have the option of joining a larger county coalition/advisory group or having their own.

9. Team Captain Meeting • Give each captain a team packet -available on website • Walk them through the WAT website & Data entry • http://walkacrosstexas.tamu.edu • Training and Guides • Registration • Mileage entry • Wrap up entry • “Success stories” • Who to contact if something goes wrong • Get e-mail addresses of Team Captains to send updates as needed

10. 2007 WAT Program Results • WAT was implemented in 116 counties • Over 15,503 people registered to participate in the program • 12,634 people completed the 8 week program • 7, 194 youth participated in school teams • Comparison of week 1 to week 8 mileage showed a mean increase of 4.14 miles per person

11. Expanding Audience Outreach • In 2007, the Better Living for Texans (BLT)program participated in WAT. • Over 3,500 BLT participants walked • In 2008, the Expanded Nutrition Program (ENP) will be pilot testing WAT participation and lesson mini-series. • 10 minute or less lessons will be piloted in 3 ENP counties • In 2008, partnership with Texercise and WAT will increase physical activity for Senior audiences. • Piloted in 2007 by Lexie McGrane, CEA-FCS Denton Co. and Linda Fuchs, CEA-FCS Bell Co.

12. Mini-Lesson Topics Week 1: Welcome to Walk Across Texas Week 2: Maintaining a Healthy Weight Week 3: Family Food Time Week 4: Family Fun Time Week 5: Out and About Week 6: Make Smart Choices Week 7: Set a Goal for a Better You *Lesson topics may change after spring 2008 pilot*

13. WAT Model Plans & TExAS Reporting • Model plans are available in the TExAS system • The WAT website and TExAS systems CAN NOT communicate • Registration & Mileage are entered on WAT website • Total contacts, events, etc. are to be reported to TExAS system

14. WAT Form Revisions • All forms are available in Spanish on WAT website • The WAT registration form has been revised- please use the newest one posted to WAT website. • Form modifies response choices regarding “place where people walk/exercise”. • Important to showcase that people in Texas walk where they can- regardless of rural settings.

15. Scenarios Frequently asked questions

16. Scenario 1 A county agent gives a nutrition program to a group. The same group also walked for 8 weeks as a part of WAT. If the agent already reported them in the nutrition series in TExAS, would the agent report them again under WAT? Yes. The nutrition programs & WAT programs are 2 different programs w/ different strategies and goals.

17. Scenario 2 The county agent gets a call from a team captain who has forgotten their password and can’t enter mileage. What can you do? You can access all passwords for your county teams • Login into Agent only site • Select link for “teams in county” • Select your County and year • A table will appear with all team names and their passwords

18. Scenario 3 Someone is questioning the WAT mileage equivalencies chart found on the WAT website? How can you respond? At the WAT kick-off and any correspondence you have with team captains, discuss “standard” equivalencies that can be used. 1 mile = 20 minutes of any exercise that makes you breathe hard & sweat 1 mile= 15 minutes of any exercise that makes you breathe VERY hard & sweat *** Notify Alice Kirk regarding your question.

19. Scenario 4 When reporting economic impact of WAT participation in your county, you want to include youth data, what can you report? WAT economic impact is only calculated on adult participants based on a formula that includes demographic data such as age and gender. For youth, there is NOT sufficient research to support calculating economic impact. But we can report total # of youth that participated and how many miles they walked.

20. Scenario 5 Your completing a report and need to access your individual county’s success stories - how do you find them on the website? • Go to WAT Home page – http://walkacrosstexas.tamu.edu • Select “See Your Progress” Quick links • Select “View Other’s Success Stories” • Select County and Year

21. Database Review • Only get out of the WAT system what you put in! • Encourage team captains to enter all required forms COMPLETELY- don’t skip any responses • Registration form • Weekly mileage • Wrap-up Form • Success stories • Agents have access to all passwords • Mileage “standard” equivalencies can be utilized • Economic impact is not derived for Youth • Success stories can be accessed by agents

22. and Partnership Presentations LexieMcGrane, CEA-FCS,Denton Co.

23. and Walk Across Texas for SeniorsDenton County - 2007 Increasing Physical Activity among Senior Citizens

24. WAT Advisory Group • Representatives from: • Texas Cooperative Extension – Denton County • North Central Texas Area Agency on Aging • Geriatric Services Workgroup, University of North Texas • Special Programs for Aging Needs (SPAN) • Denton Good Samaritan Village • Home Helpers

25. Advisory Group Meetings • Four planning meetings • WAT/Texercise partnership • Identify potential sites • Recruiting strategies • Joint Kick-Off event • Date to begin walking • Data entry

26. Kick-Off!!!!! • February 23, 2007 • Flower Mound YMCA • Various sites participating • Two hundred thirty-eight senior citizens (30 teams) • Guest speakers, health screenings, warm-up demonstrations, music, refreshments (party atmosphere!)

27. Walk Across Texas & TexerciseA Good Partnership • WAT • Team captains/site managers training • Walker’s tools • Forms • Texercise • Pedometers • Kick-Off registration • Texercise handbooks

28. Results • 30 Teams – 238 walkers • Age • 194 walkers over age 60 • 44 walkers 55 to 60 • 23,148 miles walked • A good way to get people over 55 physically active and extend outreach of the Walk Across Texas program!

29. and TEXERCISE Program Overview Ken Bomar, Marketing Director DADS program

30. Texercise is a statewide fitness program of the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) that educates and involves individuals and communities in physical activities and proper nutrition. and the Texas Team

31. Texercise and Walk Across Texas Partnership Benefits • Complimentary programs with common goals • Expanded outreach through extension agents and Texercise network • Enhanced network with state and local leadership • Increased awareness of resources offered by DADS and Extension • Good way to get people 55+ physically active and extend outreach of the Walk Across Texas program • Maximize effectiveness of limited resources for both

32. Texercise Resources Texercise provides a wide array of resources that support local and statewide activities, create awareness and promote physical and nutritional health options. • Texercise Handbook • Pledge • Certificates • Team Planning Guide and Media Packet • Texercise PowerPoint Presentations • Posters • Texercise 12-Week Fitness Program • T-News • Motivational Incentives • Texercise DVD • Website

33. Texercise Teams • Current Texercise Teams: • Alamo Texercise (San Antonio area) • Beaumont Texercise • Belton Texercise • Capital Texercise (Austin area) • Texercise Dallas • Denton Texercise 2-Step • Texercise Fort Bend-Fit for Life • Houston Texercise • Humble Texercise • Tarrant Texercise • Waco Texercise Texercise Teamsare regional partnerships made up of local and state organizations that are committed to achieving a shared purpose.

34. McKinney, TX Austin State School Denton State School Lubbock, TX Marshall. TX Girl Scouts of Texas Houston YMCAs AARP of Texas Sugar Land, TX Corpus Christi, TX Texas Retired Teachers Association Texas Recreation and Parks Society Geriatrics Wellness Center of North Texas Community Programs Some communities and organizations that have created TexerciseCommunity Programs include:

35. and Partner Support • Extension Agent receive Introduction to Texercise kits • Reciprocal website link • Quarterly updates via TNews and other media sources • Community Texercise Kits for the first 25 counties implementing Texercise/Walk Across Texas • Same WAT implementation and reporting structure

36. www.Texercise.com To order Texercise/Walk Across Texas packets contact : MaluFaccio Texercise Assistant Program Coordinator 512.438.3646 Malu.Faccio@dads.state.tx.us For questions about the Texercise/Walk Across Texas partnership contact: Ken Bomar Marketing Director 214.641.2016 Ken.Bomar@dads.state.tx.us For information about Texercise, or any of the Texas Department of Aging and Disability services volunteer programs call: 1.800.889.8595

37. Partnering with TEXERCISE • Complete WAT/TEXERCISE order form – Posted on the FCS agent only website • Include ALL requested information including: • How many people over age 55 are expected to participate • Name of the organization or site • Address for materials to be sent to • Etc., • Send completed forms to Alice Kirk via e-mail ab-kirk@tamu.edu or fax (979)-845-6496

38. 2008 WAT Summary • Opportunities for expanded audience outreach • BLT • ENP • TEXERCISE • NEW mini-lessons pilot tested • Update data entry website, report features, etc. • Remember….enter your data

39. Questions or Comments on WAT Contact Alice Kirk E-mail: ab-kirk@tamu.edu Phone: 979-458-2098