Four out of five elementary school children cannot pass the basic physical fitness requirements established by the federal government. And three out of five are considered overweight or obese. These statistics prompted St. Jude to initiate a dynamic fitness and nutrition program in local elementary schools. Project Fit includes the purchase and installation of a wide range of exercise equipment, training for physical education teachers on how to effectively increase fitness levels, and nutritional education in the classroom. The program has created marked improvement in the strength, stamina and cardiovascular fitness of many participating students.

Further improving the health of elementary students is Open Airways, a program developed by the American Lung Association and brought to local schools by the staff of St. Jude and local firefighters. Students with asthma – the number one chronic illness of children in the U.S. – are taught skills to control and manage their asthma successfully. With its emphasis on giving the students confidence and a sense of being-in-control, the six-week course has significantly reduced emergency room visits by asthmatic children as well as school absences.