Coeur d’Alene-based Kootenai Health is joining Spokane-based Providence Health Care in providing area fifth graders a program that emphasizes the importance of physical activity.

In its inaugural year in the program, Kootenai Health is distributing 1,500 Sqord wearable activity trackers to fifth graders in 22 classrooms in three school districts throughout Kootenai County.

“The students have taken home release forms and initially will start using the devices in their physical education classes,” says Lisa Aitken, a spokeswoman for Kootenai Health. “We’re anticipating all participating students will be in motion by the end of October.”

Providence Health Care, which is in its second year of the program, has distributed 5,600 Sqord devices trackers to fifth graders in Spokane and Stevens counties.

The device is a small, round, waterproof disk that snaps into a durable plastic wristband.

More than a pedometer, the device records movement anytime someone wears it, Aitken says.

The device converts movement into points that can be redeemed for virtual rewards through the Sqord online app.

“The goal is to be more active so you can collect more points,” Aitken says.

Participants log into a secure website where they have their own avatar for which they purchase clothing and accessories with the points they’ve earned.

Any activity with movement counts, although more intense movement collects more points.

The program encourages par-ticipation by students with any level of physical ability.

“Some kids are active in sports, and others aren’t on a team,” Aitken says, adding “It’s bringing movement to the top of minds of kids who maybe aren’t on a team. It includes rather than excludes.”

Kootenai Health and Providence Health Care are providing the devices at no cost to students. Participating children can keep the devices and can continue to use the website beyond the school year.

The program is targeting fifth graders because research shows children at that age are at risk of becoming less active, Aitken says.

“They’re changing their minds at about that age about how they are using their time,” she says.

If family members want to join in, they can purchase devices through the Sqord website, which shows the regular price for the device is $35 and the accompanying app is free.

Aitken says the program combines fitness tracking with an entertaining Web experience. 

“Points are transferred and viewable through the website,” Aitken says. “It looks like a video game.”

Participants can watch their points add up as they sync their wearable Sqord devices with the online program.

With their parents’ permission, students also can log in with their smart devices outside of school. 

Sqord complies with the Child Online Privacy Protection Act. The program includes safeguards to ensure personally identifiable information isn’t available to third parties.

Providence spokeswoman Liz DeRuyter says the program has been popular with its participating students and schools in Spokane and Stevens counties.

“We had great success last year,” DeRuyter says. “Kids love it. It’s just a hoot.”

Providence doesn’t have baseline activity data from before the Sqord program was introduced, she says. Preliminary data collected since the program started here, though, indicates participants wear their Sqord devices nine hours a day, and 72 percent of them have rated as moderately active to very active, with 45 percent in the very active range.

“It’s all about app and computer content,” DeRuyter says. “Kids can play games with friends and join competitions within the classroom and even compete with other classrooms and other schools.”

The Sqord website claims a third-party evaluation found that previously inactive kids increased their activity levels by 55 percent using Sqord.

Jerry Keane, Post Falls School District superintendent, says physical education teachers started training with the program earlier this month.

“A number of staff is very excited,” Keane says. “It’s creating an environment where kids want to be healthy and have fun at it.”

The program provides computer tablets to teachers to monitor kids’ activities.

Physical-education teachers are overseeing the program, and all fifth grade teachers are involved as well.

The Post Falls district has 500 fifth grade students eligible to participate in the program.

“Parents need to agree for their child to participate, and the vast majority have done so,” Keane says. “The hope is that other kids seeing what’s going on will want to take control over their own health and maybe want to be involved in the program.”

Amy Robertson, who teaches PE at Prairie View and West Ridge elementary schools in the Post Falls district, was introduced to the program during the summer and is one of the leaders in setting it up in the district.

After seeing how the program works in other school districts where it’s been implemented, Robertson says, “It’s been a great thing for students—not only for fitness, but for helping with self-confidence and helping them see the immediate result of how activity can help in school and school subjects.”

The students were enthused about the program even before receiving the devices, she says.

“The kids are champing at the bit,” Robertson says. “They’re super exited.”

She hopes teachers will integrate activities throughout the fifth grade curriculum.

“I’m hoping to work with fifth grade teachers so they can use the syncing device and do challenges with kids,” she says.

DeRuyter says she anticipates the program will continue to grow.

“We plan to keep rolling it out every year,” she says. “Last year, it included Stevens and Spokane County, and this year, it’s beginning in Kootenai County. Every year, a new batch of kids will have Sqord.”

She says some families are joining their child in the program. 

“Lots of parents have gone out and bought it for themselves and their families,” she says.