Jefferson Elementary School a Finalist in Governor’s Fitness Competition

students are off to a good start on a healthy life. The school is among 116 finalists in the statewide Governor's Challenge Competition, a contest designed to promote increased physical activity and better nutrition among California’s children. 

Jefferson is one of just nine Bay Area schools to make it to the finals. 

For the competition, the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports asked kids to be active 30-60 minutes a day, at least three days a week for a month. All of Jefferson's 624 students successfully completed at least one challenge this year, according to a news release.

Together the school’s students, teachers and parents engaged in more than 7,900 days of physical activity.

The effort was led by Jefferson principal Ruben Aurelio and PE teacher Kelly Ball. Jefferson has participated in the competition for the past three years, but this is the first time the school has made it to the finals. 

"Our goal was to get everyone active every single day," Aurelio said. To do this, the school gave students a variety of ways to get their daily exercise. 

A running club was started, with competitions and prizes given out every Wednesday leading up to the event sponsored by the San Leandro Sports Foundation in May. Aurelio led by example, winning the competition for fastest principal at the event. 

Jefferson also had three after-school sports teams this year — co-ed volleyball, and boys and girls basketball. 

Finally, Jefferson had lots of help from Playworks, the national nonprofit group that sends coaches into needy schools to transform recess into play. Jefferson is one of two schools in the district that contracts with Playworks (Garfield Elementary is the other). 

The school pays roughly half the salary for a full-time Playworks coach through Title 1 funding, while Playworks picks up the tab for the other half, Aurelio explained.

At Jefferson, Playworks Coach Steve Kropp set up game stations at all recesses, and trained fourth and fifth grade students as "junior coaches" to help run the games. The junior coaches also encouraged positive play among their fellow students and provided motivation.

"So there’s a leadership component for the kids as well,” Aurelio said.

In addition, coach Kropp took over each class every two weeks and offered a special game time. "Kids really loved it," Aurelio said. 

Local elementary and middle school students are, according to a study released earlier this year. San Leandro school officials hope the upgrades to deteriorating sports fields and facilities funded by the $50.1 million  will help motivate kids to get moving. 

Statewide, more than 1.4 million participants in this year's Governor’s Challenge recorded more than 8 million days of physical activity. You can view the complete physical activity records of participating schools at www.CalGovCouncil.org.

A search of the on the contest website suggests no other schools in the district actively participated in this year's challenge. That may be their loss, since Jefferson is now in the running for prizes that could seriously bump up its fitness program.

These include six brand new fitness centers valued at $100,000 each, and 11 regional cash awards of $6,000 each, which will be used to buy new physical activity equipment and other school supplies. The winners are expected to be chosen by next month and will be honored at a special ceremony at the Capitol in September. 

For next year, Aurelio said the school plans to expand the program to include education for kids and parents about healthy eating.

"We have to battle with the types of snacks kids come to school with. That’s our next push."

Aurelio said Jefferson wants "to set these kids up to continue to be healthy." 

"School isn’t just about adding and subtracting, it’s about teaching kids how to be healthy indivuals in all areas of life," he said.