Project ACES Get Children Moving

If you felt the ground shake in Bristol on Wednesday around 10 a.m., it wasn't an earthquake. It was actually more than 700 students from Colt Andrews and Guiteras Schools participating in Project ACES (All Children Exercising Simultaneously) on the front lawn of Guiteras. 

Project ACES, a world-wide effort to get kids up and moving, actually started in the Bristol Warren regional school district 23 years ago after Physical Education teachers caught wind of a project that started in New Jersey. Since then, schools in the Bristol Warren regional school district have participated in the world-wide project every year.

Former Physical Education teacher Susan Donovan may have retired, but nothing could keep her away from leading Project ACES this year.

"I promised the other teachers I would come back and do it again this year because it's so important," she said.

Michaela Kelton, Physical Education teacher at Colt Andrews says, "people, especially children, should know that exercise can be a lot of fun. You don't need a gym membership or a lot of equipment. You can just get up and dance to some fun music."

And parent's aren't upset that their children are missing a little time in the classroom to get out and have fun exercising. 

"I love it," said Lisa Peters, the mother of a Colt Andrews student. "They should do this more often. This is what they need. It brings them out and together to do things as a community."