USU grad student to present healthy lifestyles plan at regional conference
Contacts:
Cowboy Ted - (801) 201-9021 Cell Phone
Dr. Robert Sorenson (HPER) (435) 797-1498
Utah State University graduate student, Ted Hallisey is scheduled to present a Healthy Lifestyles program he personally designed for students in kindergarten, first, second, third and fourth grades, during the Southwest District's American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance convention to be held Feb 12-15 in Reno, Nevada.
Hallisey is a graduate student in pursuit of a Master of Education degree in Health Physical Education and Recreation at USU and also teaches physical education activity classes for the university. Hallisey, also known as "Cowboy Ted" has worked for over 15 years in the field of education and also has served as a member of the media with stints at KUBL, KKAT, KWLW, and Radio Disney radio stations in Salt Lake City. He also served as the morning show host for KGNT 103.9 in Logan last year prior to the station changing ownership and formats.
The longtime educator and media personality designed the Cowboy Ted's Kids Club in 1999 while working for KKAT in Salt Lake City and during visits to elementary schools on behalf of the radio station. He refined the program and created a healthy lifestyles model during a graduate seminar in Health Education at USU with the help of Dr. Robert Sorenson.
Hallisey has presented the healthy lifestyles program to over 10,000 students in Utah during visits to elementary schools, middle schools and public libraries over the past three years. He also served an internship with the Weber/Morgan Health Department during the fall semester and facilitated a 10-week tobacco education program for sixth grade students at Morgan Middle School. He also made visits to 10 after-school programs in the Ogden area on behalf of the health department.
The Cowboy Ted's Kids Club Healthy Lifestyles program consists of an initial visit to the school in the form of an assembly. Students are introduced to eight healthy lifestyle rules for the kids club which relates to the 8-seconds required for a qualified ride in the sport of rodeo. Hallisey is a former bull rider or "bull faller" as he tells the students.
He arrives dressed in cowboy clothing and carrying a roping buddy (indoor bull) which he later uses to teach the students how to rope the bull. Credibility has been established during Hallisey's service as a credentialed rodeo journalist as he writes for nine rodeo publications across the country. He has received media credentials for the National Finals Rodeo, Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo (held in Pocatello, Idaho) and the Olympic Rodeo on a regular basis.
During the demonstration Cowboy Ted talks with students about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and invites them to join his kids club at no charge and with no requirements for membership aside from adhering to the eight rules which are listed as Respect Parents, Lead a Healthy Lifestyle, Work Hard in School, Be Nice to Others, Be Kind to Animals, Set Goals for Yourself, No Drugs Tobacco or Alcohol and Do One Nice Thing for Another Person Every Day. Members receive coloring books, event discounts and other items.
Cowboy Ted has presented the program to a host of Cache Valley schools including Adams Elementary, Nibley Elementary, and the Edith Bowen Lab School on the campus of USU. He has also been invited to present his program to students involved with the 4-H programs sponsored by the USU Extension. The American Cancer Society, Utah Federation for Youth and Utah 4-H programs have all publicly praised his program as a worthwhile session for young students.
The Cowboy Ted's Kids Club is the focus of Hallisey's masters project at USU and includes the development of curriculum to be used by community based education programs. He also has a web site at www.cowboyted.com along with coloring books and a reading list of suggested books for young students. The web site will host the curriculum and other materials for students and teachers. He has also produced three versions of coloring books along with a children's book about rodeo and healthy lifestyles titled "Billy The Bull" which is in the process of being published with a release date scheduled for late spring.
Hallisey's faculty committee consists of Sorenson and Dr. Rolayne Wilson from the HPER department along with Dr. John Smith from the Elementary Education department. The three faculty members are helping Hallisey refine the program that is also currently being reviewed by the Department of Health for the State of Utah and the Centers for Disease Control based in Atlanta.
Hallisey will be joined by his mentors, Sorenson and Wilson as they all travel to Reno next week to represent the USU HPER department during the regional AAHPERD conference. Hallisey is an official presenter at the conference and will present his program on Thursday Feb 13 in Reno. Sorenson will also serve as proctor for another group of graduate students from USU as they present a session entitled "Motivational Enhancement for Behavior Initiation and Adoption" which is scheduled for the same day.
Hallisey received funding assistance from the Graduate Student Senate and the HPER department in order to attend the academic conference and make his presentation. He will make a similar presentation during the Utah AAHPERD conference in April. Hallisey is scheduled to complete the requirements for
the Master of Education degree in HPER at the end of the spring semester in May.