Park Orchard students win 'Active School' award
Courtesy photo Park Orchard students show off their muscles and their Active Schools banner. Park Orchard was one of 544 schools nationally to win the Active Schools award.
MOSES LAKE — Park Orchard Elementary recently received a federal award for its advocacy of physical fitness, and the efforts of its staff to get kids moving around, during PE and otherwise. Park Orchard is one of 544 schools across the country to receive the “Let’s Move” award for 2016.
The award is given to schools that encourage children to walk, run, play and otherwise move, indoors and outdoors, at least 60 minutes per day, according to the press release.
The goal is to get kids running around and active, no matter if it’s in PE, before school or after school. In fact, while PE classes are the focus, the program gets teachers and parents involved too, said Orchard Park physical education teacher Cyndi Dickinson.
“A school must have met significant benchmarks in five areas, physical education, physical activity before and after school, physical activity during school, staff involvement and family and community engagement,” Dickinson wrote.
Park Orchard receives an “Active School” designation and a banner noting their achievement. “We are proud to be an Active School because we know that physical activity translates to student success, both in the classroom and in life,” Dickinson wrote.
The program was started by First Lady Michelle Obama as part of her effort to promote physical fitness.