Power Up Challenge participants learn how to cooperate and pay attention. (photo: Theresa Hogue)

Gatorade was flying as fast as the smiles last Thursday during the Power Up Challenge kick-off and Wellness Fair at Dixon Recreation Center on campus. Members of both featured teams participating in the Power Up campus-wide health and wellness challenge showed up to hand out free bottles of Gatorade, and let other campus community members know how they could participate in the 19-week challenge alongside the two teams.

While the hand-selected teams will be participating in public challenges and will be blogging at http://blogs.oregonstate.edu/powerup/, all other faculty, staff and students on campus with an ONID account can sign up through Blackboard (http://my.oregonstate.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp) this week to form their own teams or compete as individuals. Once you’re logged into Blackboard, click on the Community tab, search for “Power Up Scoring System” and then hit “Enroll.” Follow the steps until you click “Submit.” To find or form a team, click “Discussion Board” on the left hand side after you’ve enrolled.

Participants will be able to chart their health and wellness progress on a scoresheet through Blackboard. Each week a new theme will help participants explore OSU’s many great resources, from fitness and nutrition to stress reduction and time management.

Last Friday, the two featured teams faced off for the first time, but in low-key, get-to-know-you fashion. Mark Belson of the Oregon State Challenge Course offered a modified, indoor challenge course for participants, focused on listening, interaction and cooperation. From name games to a non-verbal test that asked teammates to line up based on their birth date, while only using visual cues, the challenges helped the teams bond with each other and get to know their competitors.

Work toward a healthier you through the Power Up! Challenge.

Are you ready for the Power Up Challenge?

We’re looking for two teams of students, faculty and staff who are interested in challenging themselves to become the healthiest they can be, and who want to inspire others to meet and set realistic physical and mental health goals that will improve their lives.

Oregon State University is focused on creating solutions for a healthier world, healthier people and a healthier economy. It makes sense that OSU students, staff and faculty would also want to focus on becoming the healthiest versions of themselves.

The Power Up Challenge will feature two eight-member teams who will select individual health goals, and then will have winter and spring term to meet those goals, with the help of health coaches, nutritionists, personal trainers and a panel of experts who will provide them information and support.

The teams will also face a series of team challenges focusing on physical, social, environmental and emotional health. They’ll also be asked to attend Power Up! presentations featuring experts who will share information on healthy choices. Team members will be eligible for individual prizes as they meet goals and win challenges, but will also compete for team prizes.

Team members must be able to commit the time needed to complete their challenges, and must be willing to participate as public figures in the competition. This means dedicating at least five hours a week on average to working on your goals, attending events and participating in social media.

They will be expected to blog about their participation on a weekly basis, and their photographs and stories will be used on OSU web sites and in promotional media materials. The team members will be used to inspire others in the OSU community to challenge themselves to meet holistic health goals.

Benefits include:
* Pre and post blood and fitness testing (your choice)
* Five personal training appointments
* Nutrition appointments
* Health coaching appointments
* A team meeting every two weeks for support pursuing your goals
* Wisdom from the advisory board, a group of experts to keep the challenge on track
* Five counseling sessions (CAPS for students, EAP for faculty and staff)

One student co-captain and one employee co-captain will be selected by each team. Co-captains will have extra responsibilities and compensatory privileges.

If you’re ready for the challenge, please fill out our on-line application. We will select a number of applicants and ask them to sit down for a brief personal interview before making the final selection. Deadline for applying is Nov. 25.

If you are not selected to be on the Power Up team, or if you want to participate in the challenge but not as a public figure, you can still form your own team. Go to http://blogs.oregonstate.edu/powerup/ to find out more.

~ Theresa Hogue