The dawn of fast-food frenzy is near. People are growing wary of what they’re putting in their bodies, especially here in Colorado. In Denver, organic grocery stores are becoming as populous per capita as Starbucks coffee joints in downtown Seattle. Health conditions are surfacing left and right and it has finally started to open people’s eyes.

To anyone who has hopped on the healthy lifestyle bandwagon or to anyone who is considering, ACC offers a program that will not only enlighten you, it will change your life.

The beginning of a new era has arrived at ACC. The Exercise Health Science program.

The EHS program has been around ACC for 20 years but the program has recently expanded to health and wellness coaching.

It strives to educate students about the importance of the different concepts ranging from nutrition to the importance of exercising. For anybody who wants to take their talents and knowledge into the workforce, the program also offers two-year degrees and semester-long National Certificates.

To anyone who is intrigued by fitness-related careers, the EHS program sets students up for opportunities in many fields of work.

This gives a better understanding of what can be gained from this program.

“People come here to get their certifications because they save a lot of money,” said Sophie Mabry, program coordinator. “They can get their degree, they can get the certificate from the school, and certified all while under financial aid.”

Three emphases exist for two-year degrees: Personal Training/Group Exercise, Health and Wellness Coaching and Fitness Administration.

The program is run by Mabry, who took an unorthodox route into Exercise Science.

Her story is speaks loudly about her passion for helping people. She started out as an EMT student at ACC, but after witnessing grief, agony and pain over and over again she wanted to make a change.

“I wanted to help people, make them happy, bring out the positive emotions to prevent the tragedies,” she said. “How can we change this? Well if they’re healthy, then the ambulance won’t have to come.”

So she turned away from the EMT path and got her bachelor’s and master’s in Adult Fitness. Her mission is to keep everybody healthy and moving. “Exercise and eat right and there’s no reason to call the ambulance” is her philosophy.

To anyone interested in the joining the program, or anyone who wants to improve his or her healthy lifestyle, the Health and Wellness Coaching course and certification begin in Spring 2016 semester.

But you can sign up now. A meeting on Jan. 12 for all new students in the program will be conducted in Littleton Annex Room 1590.

Most classes are hands-on. Students take several field trips around the Denver metro area, and they get plenty field experience and observation hours in the community. The goal is to be active and integrate real-life experience as much as possible to create habitual tendencies.