NJCU’s First Fitbit Challenge a Success

President Sue Henderson offered an opportunity recently for NJCU to launch its first-ever Fitbit Challenge in an effort to promote health and wellness among the University’s faculty and staff.

The concept of tracking steps during the six weeks of the program not only motivated the 80 participants in the Challenge, it also sparked friendly but fierce competition as a total of eight teams worked to outstep one another while reaching their personal health and fitness goals.

During the program’s Closing Ceremony held Wednesday, December 6, in the Gilligan Student Union Building, many of the Fitbit steppers gathered to congratulate each other for their hard work and to honor the top Fitbit Challenge winners.

Dock Williams, of the Housekeeping Department, emerged as the overall individual winner, logging an astonishing 1,031,440 steps – the equivalent of walking 488 miles – during the contest.

Williams was a member of Team 5, the overall winning team led by Team Captain Monica Almonor, Associate Registrar. “Our team was a family from the beginning of the Fitbit Challenge,” she told the gathering as she described the close-knit atmosphere Team 5 members quickly established with each other.

Almonor was one of several participants who said they came away from the program feeling they had made terrific connections with colleagues while improving their fitness and health.

“There were a lot of relationships, partnerships, and communications that were formed because we had the opportunity to walk together, talk together and break bread together throughout the length of the program,” said Dr. Jessica Accurso-Salguero,  Director for Student Success.

Members of Team 5, in addition to Williams and Almonor:

• Damaris Castillo
• Rafael Gagilian
• Elaine Gargiulo
• Inez Holmes
• Shonda Ouji
• Daisy Romero
• Karen Ruiz
• Louise Stanton

Individual Fitbit Challenge winners, listed by total steps:

• Roberto Romero, Team 7 - 1,011,760
• Hisela Mendez, Team 6 - 980,427
• Mariana Diaz, Team 3 - 807,531
• Franklin Jaime, Team 8 - 698,589
• Sachie Tsumura, Team 2 - 682,682
• Palilba Singuiman, Team 4 - 502,772
• Evelyn Candelario, Team 1 - 488,112

Congratulations to all who participated for making health a priority at NJCU!