The “Rowan Moves” initiative is a county-wide initiative to improve the health and lives of all Rowan County residents.
For students like Lillian "Bodie” Bodenheimer, it was a fun way to engage with the community. “It was exciting to create something that may be used and seen by others,” said Bodie, whose video was designed for children and focused on the importance of safety. Overall, Bodie really enjoyed making the video.
Martin Miranda Torres found the experience to be rewarding and collaborative. “Helping others is a thing I love doing, so if my video can help anyone start doing some physical activity, it's a win.” Martin wanted to make sure his videos contributed to the broader mission of improving the health and well-being of the entire Rowan County community. He made sure to include exercises that could be easily done at home, given that many people may be new to exercise or have different levels of fitness. “What I enjoyed most about working on a community-focused project like Rowan Moves was the opportunity to make a tangible impact on people's lives. Knowing that the fitness videos we created could help improve the health and well-being of individuals in the community, especially by making fitness more accessible and inclusive, was incredibly fulfilling,” said Martin.
For Tristan Williams, creating fitness videos to promote health was inspiring. “Making these videos allowed us to connect with the community by sharing the ways we live a healthier lifestyle,” Tristan said. “I feel like we helped the community discover workouts that are accessible and enjoyable,” he added. In his video on bowling, he included techniques and tips that would keep one safe but also included specific exercise goals, such as strength training, calorie burning, flexibility, and physical activity. During this project, Tristan was able to combine two of his favorite things: bowling and camera work.
Dylan McQuarrie enjoyed teaching viewers the basics of Lacrosse. “I wanted to give an example of everything I was saying because it would help the viewer get an idea on how to do a certain thing,” he said. Dylan chose Lacrosse because it is a “fun exercise that helps you work on muscular strength, muscular endurance and cardiovascular endurance.” Dylan’s favorite part about creating the video was knowing he could have an impact on someone. “What I enjoyed most about working on a community-focused project was knowing I possibly could have an impact on someone and how they go about fitness/sports.”
Each student brought their own unique perspective and knowledge to the videos. They were able to create content to help inspire others to get active and live a healthier lifestyle. In the process, they were also able to create their midterm projects. The Rowan Moves initiative shared selected videos on its public platforms as part of its efforts to encourage accessible, inclusive physical activity.
