Jake Steinfeld, Chairman of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, announced recently that two North Coast schools, Leggett Valley Elementary/High School and Pine Grove Elementary in Crescent City, are among 75 schools state-wide that have been named finalists in the Council’s 2008 Governor’s Challenge Competition. Each of the school finalists is under consideration for one of the competition’s three grand prizes - brand new fitness centers valued at $100,000. Additionally, one Northern California school will be named a Regional Award winner and receive $5,000 for new physical activity equipment. Grand Prize and Regional Award winners will be announced at a special ceremony at the Capitol in September.
School finalists were chosen based on results of the 2008 Governor’s Challenge Competition, a state-wide fitness contest among K-12 schools that promotes increased physical activity and better health among California’s youth. Throughout the state, more than 160,000 children accepted the 2008 Governor’s Challenge and pledged to be active 30-60 minutes a day, three days a week for a month - this compares to 69,000 students who accepted the Governor’s
Over the next couple of months the Governor’s Council will be reviewing how each of the Competition’s school finalists supported physical activity and good nutrition on their campus in order to help determine its awardees.
”I’m thrilled that so many schools around the state have been going the extra mile to help students get active and fit. I’m a big believer that healthy bodies lead to healthy minds and I can’t wait to reward these schools for their leadership in this area,” said Steinfeld.
”I’m also thrilled that our Council has been able to promote physical activity and fitness without adding any burden on California taxpayers,” said Steinfeld. “Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, like Anthem Blue Cross Foundation, Longs Drugs and General Mills, we were able to encourage a record number of California children and teachers to take the Governor’s Challenge this year. In fact, thanks to our sponsors, our Governor’s Challenge attracted more than twice the amount of participants in California this year as a similar effort led by the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports attracted nationally.”
Research shows that regular physical activity during childhood and adolescence helps build healthier bones and muscles, increases self-esteem, and reduces the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Research also shows a connection between students’ levels of physical fitness and their academic performance.
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