BLinG-Health™: Black Leadership in Girls’ Health
Pilot program training youth activity leaders builds community and promotes health.
Training adolescent black girls as peer physical activity leaders in high school promoted health, fitness and community, according to a small, qualitative study published in Journal of Healthy Eating and Active Living (2024). Researchers from Towson University, Baltimore, Maryland, in collaboration with Baltimore City Public Schools trained 3 peer leaders to lead Tabata group fitness sessions two to three days a week for eight weeks as an after-school program with 5 peer students. Researchers collected physical fitness data and interviewed, observed and gathered testimonials from participants and administrators.
“Empowering black adolescent girls in leadership may enhance physical activity engagement and foster healthier outcomes,” notes study author Tara B. Blackshear, PhD, associate professor of kinesiology and program coordinator of physical education teacher education at Towson University. “To increase Black girls’ opportunities to engage in physical activity, schools should consider culturally relevant programming by integrating peer-led physical activity programs into their curriculum, especially with the reduction or elimination of physical education requirements and/or male-centric programs.” Blackshear notes that the girls enjoyed the girls group fitness format over traditional competitive sports focused P.E. curriculum.
Shirley Eichenberger-Archer, JD, MA
Shirley Archer, JD, MA, is an internationally acknowledged integrative health and mindfulness specialist, best-selling author of 16 fitness and wellness books translated into multiple languages and sold worldwide, award-winning health journalist, contributing editor to Fitness Journal, media spokesperson, and IDEA's 2008 Fitness Instructor of the Year. She's a 25-year industry veteran and former health and fitness educator at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, who has served on multiple industry committees and co-authored trade books and manuals for ACE, ACSM and YMCA of the USA. She has appeared on TV worldwide and was a featured trainer on America's Next Top Model.
