Sheridan Hills Reports 182 Student Participants in 2010-11 Fit Feet Program

After seeing students sitting rather than playing and being active at recess, Physical Education Specialist Sue Kunelius started the Fit Feet Program three years ago to spur some physical activity.

Students can choose, on a voluntary basis, to run the length of the schoolyard fence and earn Fit Feet tokens for each mile they complete. The school's recess aide tracks the mileage and awards the tokens, according to Kunelius.

As of June 8, 2011 182 students had participated in the program, with 62 children reaching the 20-mile-mark for the 2010-11 school year. This year's top runner was Jerry Hockert, who completed 30 miles.

To make the program stick, Kunelius wrote and won a grant in 2010 to fund the purchase of the tokens. But now that the program has taken off, Kunelius said parents are getting more involved.

"The parents have been super supportive of the program," she said in an e-mail. "This year they approached me about paying for the program with PTO funds."

The program will continue for the 2011-12 school year.