Active schools earn $ through Kaiser Permanente partnership

Stonebrae Elementary School in Hayward won the Fire Up Your Feet top prize in Northern California for outstanding achievement in promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyles for students, families, and school staff. The Hayward school is one of about three dozen schools across the state that won cash prizes totalling $39,000 for participating in the Fire Up Your Feet Spring Activity Challenge, competing to support physical activity and wellness programs at school.

The winning schools will use the award money to purchase physical education and sports equipment, install bike racks, or support other physical activity and walking and biking programs. Stonebrae Elementary won $5,000.

“Fire Up Your Feet has served as a reminder for our families to be more active. They are motivated by the act of logging their activity and seeing the minutes and miles add up. In the process they are inviting family members and friends to join them because it’s fun!” said Debbie Jelincic, a parent volunteer at Stonebrae Elementary School. “The kids love it because they see their parents being more active and they do activities as a family.”

Fire Up Your Feet was launched in 2013 as part of Kaiser Permanente Thriving Schools and is aimed at increasing physical activity before, during and after school, and helping participants stay motivated in a fun and friendly environment. The program also supports schools with resources to fundraise in a healthy way.

Schools competed for awards in several categories, including most overall participation, highest weekly activity tracking numbers, most bicycling, most walking, and more. Many schools won in two or more categories.

Other Northern California schools that won awards ranging from $1,000 to $250 were: E L Musick Elementary School in Newark; Fairview Elementary School in Hayward; Hesperian Elementary School in San Lorenzo; Harvest Elementary School in Fresno; Jefferson Elementary School in Berkeley; Lum Elementary School in Alameda; Will C Woo Middle School in Alameda; and Piedmont Elementary School in San Jose.

"Each year we hear the stories of schools that have jumped into action with Fire Up Your Feet and have used the program to engage parents, students, teachers and school staff in getting more physical activity, before, during and after school," says Peggy Agron, Healthy Schools Program Director, Kaiser Permanente Northern California. "We're thrilled to partner again this year with Safe Routes to School National Partnership, the National PTA and a whole host of school wellness champions to bring Fire Up Your Feet to schools and to see how school communities are making positive changes because of their engagement in the program."

The next Activity Challenge will take place October 1-31, 2016 and is open to any K-8 public, private or charter school. Sign up at fireupyourfeet.org.