State Bridge Crossing Wins Activity Challenge Prize

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Seven metro Atlanta schools, including one in Johns Creek, won awards in the Fire Up Your Feet Activity Challenge to support physical activity and wellness programs.

The Challenge, which involves tracking the physical activity of school students, staff and their families, took place in eight states and the District of Columbia.

In metro Atlanta, the top prize of $2,150 was awarded to Morrow Elementary School in Clayton County. Six other metro Atlanta schools also won cash prizes:

• Briarlake Elementary School, Decatur
• Burgess-Peterson Academy, Atlanta
• Ellis School of Atlanta, Decatur
• Mountain View Elementary School, Marietta
• Peachtree Academy, Conyers
• State Bridge Crossing Elementary School, Johns Creek

Fire Up Your Feet was launched in 2013 as part of Kaiser Permanente’s Thriving Schools initiative 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.

At participating schools, parents, students and school staff kept track of their physical activity during the month-long challenge using the Fire Up Your Feet online activity tracker.

Schools could win awards in several categories, including most overall participation, highest weekly activity tracking numbers, most bicycling, most walking, and more.

Since the launch of Fire Up Your Feet, Kaiser Permanente and Fire Up Your Feet have awarded more than $290,000 to participating schools.

Students, family and school staff at participating schools have found that getting regular physical activity is just one of the benefits of being involved in the Fire Up Your Feet Challenge. The Challenge also helps unite the school community together around the shared goal of healthy minds and bodies.

“It’s so exciting to see schools embracing Fire Up Your Feet and getting into action,” said Peggy Agron, national director for Kaiser Permanente Thriving Schools. “It’s been such an engaging program and we’re proud to partner with Safe Routes to School National Partnership and others to bring this program to schools as a way to engage parents, students, teachers and school staff in getting more physical activity before, during and after school.”

Challenge Awards help to support walking school bus programs, the purchase of bike racks, safety vests, incentives for Walking Wednesdays, traffic safety countermeasures to help promote more walking and biking, and much more. The enthusiasm among students, parents and teachers also shows how much demand there is for physical activity and school wellness.

The next Activity Challenge will take place Oct. 1-31 and is open to any kindergarten through 8th grade public, private or charter school in metro Atlanta. Sign up at fireupyourfeet.org.

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Image via Shutterstock