Dundalk IT is running the 2024 STEPS Challenge for the Fittest DkIT

Staff and students Dundalk The Institute of Technology (DkIT) has been trying for the past four weeks to become the winner of the STEPS Challenge 2024 “DkIT’s Fittest”.

DkIT said 26 teams took part and more than 10.5 million steps were recorded (the cumulative number of daily averages achieved).

Organized by the School of Health and Science’s Health and Physical Activity (HPA) Program team, staff and students were asked to form teams, register for the challenge and record their daily steps over a four-week period. The winning teams walked an average of more than half a million steps each (the cumulative number of daily averages achieved), with Team Slow But Steady, made up of staff and students from the School of Business and Human Sciences and the School of Engineering, taking first place. a place with an impressive number of 557,988 steps.

Dr Sinéad O’Connor, HPA Lecturer, said of the challenge: “It was great to see DkIT move forward during the four weeks it ran. The event was attended by approximately 180 participants and there was excellent socialization between staff and students on campus. There seemed to be an energetic buzz on campus, with everyone showing real enthusiasm, effort and competition. Given the success of the competition, we intend to make it an annual event.”

To celebrate the success of the competition, an awards ceremony took place on November 5 in the Sensory Garden. Prizes were awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams, DkIT’s Fittest school/unit, the most active participant, and all teams completing the four weeks of the competition were entered into a draw, with one team being randomly selected. for a prize for “active participation.” The award winners were:

1st prize – One month free membership to Sean Kilroy Fitness (Drogheda or Dundalk premises). Team: Slow but Steady (School of Business and Humanities and School of Engineering) – Annmarie McHugh, Enda Fields, Shane D’Arcy, Colin Cooney, Eobin Fields and Lorraine Dunn. Cumulative number of steps: 557,988.

2nd prize – One4all gift card worth 50 euros for each team member. Team: Bookworms (Library) – Frank Brady, Patricia McKevitt, Ronan Dullaghan, Mary McShane and Margaret Smith (above). Cumulative number of steps: 525,819.

3rd prize – One4all gift card worth 25 euros for each team member. Team: Mighty Midwives (School of Health and Science) – Dee O’Malley, Ashling Murphy, Jean Carragher, Patricia Larkin, Aoife Murray and Cathy O’Neill (top). Cumulative number of steps: 506,093.

School/functional direction “DkITs Fittest” – Memorial plaque to the school/functional area “DkITs is the strongest.” Winner: School of Health and Science.

““DkITs Fittest” is the most active participant – One4all gift card worth 50 euros. Winner: Enda Fields (School of Engineering).

“Prize for active participation “DkITs Fittest” – A bottle of water with the “DkIT’s Fittest” logo for each team member. Team: Nurses on the Run (School of Health and Science) – Siobhan Nash, Sharon Tuohy, Siobhan Agnew Wills, Louise Weienberg, Joyce Dromgoole, Sinéad Costello and Bridge King.

The STEPS Challenge 2024 “DkIT’s Fittest” was supported by the DkIT Healthy Campus Initiative, Healthy Ireland Louth, Pobal and the Department of Health’s Healthy Ireland Fund.