(CARY) -- An innovative partnership of business, educators and parents aims to attack obesity and keep youngsters fit for life.

It's called the Fit-n-Fun-4-Life program and some Cary elementary school students are excited about getting some exercise on a new fitness course.

It's not everyday kids talk about something at school being fun.

Fifth-grader Sam Bagherpour said, “It's going to be really cool and we'll have a lot of fun doing it and it'll be really fun.”

But students like Bagerpour and Ryan Basso at Briarcliff Elementary have something to be excited about, a brand new fitness course as part of the program.

Basso stated, “I think it's really cool and it's going to make a big improvement to our playground and stuff.”

Time Warner Cable, News 14 Carolina's parent company, partnered with Fox Sports South, the Wake County School System and parents to build the new fitness course.

It's just over a quarter of a mile long with half a dozen pieces of fitness equipment along the way, like monkey bars, leg press and even a contraption designed to help children with their balance.

“It just helps them have a healthy lifestyle,” physical education teacher Greg Brooks explained. “Anybody can come outside and be physically fit. They can do push-ups. They can use a balance station like this. They can do uneven bars like that, so it just helps them live a healthy lifestyle. And most importantly, it's fun, right?”

And once the children have successfully completed all the obstacles on the course, they get a certificate and a badge to show that they are fit and fun for life.

Recent studies show North Carolina children are more out of shape and overweight than ever before.

The course is designed to get them outside, playing sports and having fun so they will learn skills they can use for a lifetime.

Brad Phillips is Vice President of Public Affairs for Time Warner Cable. “The computers and the TV are an important part of education, but this contributes to the well-rounded student, the complete person,” he said.

“If you go outside and play on the fitness trails or on monkey bars and all that stuff, you'll get active and probably have a lot more fun than sitting in front of the TV,” Bagerpour added.

The fitness trail comes with a price tag of about $60,000 so far.

News 14 Carolina’s parent company, Time Warner Cable, plans to add another five pieces of equipment to the trail.