By MAGGIE MCMURRAY
Moapa Valley Progress
The push for better physical fitness these days is everywhere, but local schools are taking the advice to heart and teaching kids the advantage of developing good health and fitness habits in their youth.
For over a decade, PE teacher Erin Leavitt and her assistant Natalie Staley have been challenging kids at Perkins Elementary to run at least 100 miles during the course of the school year. Those kids that meet that challenge are then treated to a party at the end of the year as an added incentive.
This year’s party happened last week. It honored the outstanding achievement accomplished by a whopping 34 students at Perkins.
It also awarded the class with the greatest total of miles accumulated for the year. This distinction was won this year by Karri Leete’s 4th grade class. This class alone accumulated a total of 1,650 miles, which contributed greatly to the grand total of 7,350 miles run by the school as a whole since last September.
Natalie Staley, who runs the program, said, “I am so proud of these kids for what they have accomplished. It is something they do on their own time. Although we count the laps they run in PE, most of it is accomplished before school or after school, and even during recess or after lunch. They have to be really motivated to meet their goal.”
To celebrate their accomplishment, the kids had pizza and fresh fruit cups, followed by delicious homemade brownies with vanilla ice cream. There was plenty to go around and the kids all had a great time.
Second grader Jaden Staley was one of the students who completed 100 miles; and he even had some distance to spare. “I ran 110 miles this year and it was really hard work,” he said. “It was worth it in the end, though, because I got in better shape and it made PE not so hard. I could run in PE without my sides hurting.”
First grader Tenley Jensen agreed that it was hard, but worth it. “I ran 100 miles,” she said. “But it was hard running every single day. I ran mostly in the morning before school and some after school. It was worth it, though, when it got announced that I ran that far.”
Five kids went above and beyond the 100 mile goal and kept on running. Trueitt Ciserella, Ty Jensen, and Tag Jensen each ran 200 miles this year. Grant Smith ran 300 miles, and 4th grader Mateo Bradshaw outran everyone with a staggering 400 miles throughout the course of the year.
“I ran exactly 200 miles,” said Trueitt, who is 8 and in 2nd grade. “I really liked getting recognized at the end when everyone clapped. I also like the party.”
Achieving their goals wasn’t all just hard work, however. Many runners said they had a great time while doing it. Sienna Nielson, 4th grade, was one of those. She ran with her cousin Gavyn Fredrick. When they knew they were on their last mile, they stopped and dropped to the ground and rolled across the finish line together, she said.
“The hardest part was starting and then keeping it up because at first we didn’t have a lot of motivation,” Sienna said. “As the year went on and we got closer to our goal, we got more motivated. The best part, however, was when we rolled across the finish line. That was so fun!”
Teacher Erin Leavitt is thankful for the time that Staley puts in to make the program such a success. “Natalie has kept it up and done such a great job,” she said. “It’s a great program for our school and we plan on continuing it well into the future.”
Staley was pleased with how the party went and the success that the students saw this year. “I think this party motivates the kids to participate in the program and the program helps the kids accomplish something themselves while teaching them to be physically fit for their lives,” she said. “We don’t make them do it; the kids who participate choose to do it for themselves. It is a great lesson in how they can set a goal, work hard, and achieve it. I’m so proud of them all.”
