At the beginning of the school year in August 2011, Louie's Kids will offer a "Fit Club" program for students at Moultrie Middle School in Mount Pleasant.

The program created by Louie's Kids is based on best practice models from some of America's leading clinicians and weight loss experts. The program is free<0x00A0>and available to students at Moultrie and other schools East of the Cooper River.

Applications can be picked up in the nurse's office at Moultrie Middle School at 645 Coleman Boulevard or by calling Louie's Kids at 843-343-5746.

Applications are due no later than Thursday, June 2.

The after-school program tentatively will begin Tuesday, August 23 and will run from 3:30-5:30 p.m. at Moultrie Middle for 16-weeks each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, accounting for various school holidays in the midst.

The program includes nutritional education, a daily regimen of physical activity and, perhaps most importantly, cognitive behavioral therapy in a group setting.<0x00A0>

The kids in this program will learn the "triggers" associated with overeating, how to overcome their fears around food, get familiar and comfortable with working out and develop a group of peers to lean on and learn from.

Parents or adult representatives of the students are required to participate in the program, which typically costs $1,200 per child.

Each Thursday, parents will have the opportunity to be actively engaged in their child's wellness by attending a 30-minute nutrition and recap session where they'll hear about their child's progress and learn the curriculum for nutrition that week.

"I can't say enough about how Fit Club has improved the self-esteem of the kids involved; the results in the lives of the kids in the program have been truly amazing," stated Dirk Bedford, Principal at Mitchell Elementary School after a "Fit Club" Program was adopted in his school.

For more information about Louie's Kids and "Fit Club", visit the website at www.louieskids.org.