FOLEY — Thursday afternoon representatives of the Alabama Sports Festival Foundation and Alabama Rep. Stephen McMillan descended on Foley Elementary School to tout the school’s participation in Wee Can Fight Obesity.

The program provides $3,500 worth of WII Interactive Fitness equipment to schools for committing to use it to get students active.

“This pilot program provides a movement-based gaming system in physical education for students to promote health, physical activity and educational awareness associated by obesity risk factors,” ASFF spokesman Chris Wilins said.

He explained that Wee Can Fight Obesity was created and developed by Alabama State University, ASFF, the Alabama Department of Education and the governor’s commission on physical fitness.

“This is only one of three schools in the county participating in the program,” McMillan said, explaining the need for such a program. “Very reliable research projects that by 2030, all 50 states will have obesity rates of 44 p0ercent or higher. One study showed than an overweight person can incur over $2,700 per year in medical costs.”

According to Cindy Floyd of ASFF, the program has been part of Foley Elementary’s physical education program since last year.

“We’re trying to use it as part of their physical assessment,” she said.

That means that 1,290 K-4 students use the program, which implements, dance, sports, extreme stretching in the students’ P.E. program.

Foley Elementary physical education teacher Susan King said she is quite impressed with Wee Can Fight Obesity.

“I think it’s a very positive program,” she said. “It gives all the children the opportunity to move at the same time, and you don’t have anybody left out and waiting in line for an activity.”

Plus, she said, the students think they’re just playing a game.

“The kids don’t realize until they’re finished that they’ve had a workout,” King said.