Fitness, fun and festivity

MOSES LAKE - About 70 Frontier Middle School students took to Neppel Trail Wednesday, some donning Santa hats, a few wearing reindeer antlers and other festive gear, to participate in the school's first-ever 'Jingle Bell Dash.'

The fun run, which took place after school, was part of Frontier's Fuel Up to Play 60 campaign, said PE teacher and program advisor Rita Gardner. Fuel Up to Play 60 is a national initiative founded by the National Dairy Council and the NFL.

Students can win cool prizes, like an NFL player visit or Super Bowl tickets, for choosing good-for-you foods and getting active for at least 60 minutes every day, according to the Fuel Up to Play 60 website.

The overall goal is get kids to live active and healthy lifestyles, said Gardner.

"We want to help promote that, that's what Fuel Up to Play 60 is about," she said.

On Wednesday, students ran about two miles along Neppel Trail before walking back to school.

Gardner said she wants to hold at least one Fuel Up to Play 60 event each month. Fun activities such as Zumba are on the agenda for future events so far, she said.

She said the Fuel Up to Play 60 program is a good way to get the whole school involved in physical activity. Students from each grade, and even a few teachers and staff members, participated in the run.

Student body leaders also pitched in to help organize the event, said Gardner. They set up a "Selfie Booth" along the course for runners to stop and take a quick selfie before continuing on the path.