San Antonio Elementary Students Join 40 Day Go!Kids (Fitness) Challenge

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Over 150,000 elementary school students from 250 schools throughout the city of San Antonio will have the opportunity to participate in the 12th annual Go!Kids Challenge, thanks to a partnership with between San Antonio Sports, the City of San Antonio, and the University Health System.

The GO!Kids Challenge prompts kids to commit 40 days of healthy lifestyle practices such as exercise, eating healthy meals, and drinking plenty of water. This year’s challenge kicked off at Rayburn elementary with special guest celebrity, former NFL player Tyreo Harrison.

“Getting a chance to tell kids they can be their best with their diet, exercise and academics will create good habit for the future,” said the former Philadelphia Eagle and Green Bay Packer in a news article printed by the Rivard Report. “You have to make exercise fun. I remember playing football and I remember the greatest players I knew, even in the NFL, were the ones that didn’t make working out a job.”

According to Russ Bookbinder president and CEO of San Antonio Sports, since the Go!Kids Challenge started 12 years ago, it’s helped change the local culture by introducing the community to the power of sports.

As part of the GO!Kids Challenge, students will have access to on-line resources to help them get at least 60 minutes of physical activity everyday. Throughout the 40 days, they will log their activities, such 10 minutes of jumping rope, 10 minutes of jumping jacks, 25 minutes of running/walking, 20 pushups, 20 curl-ups and more. They will also keep track of how many glasses of water they drank and how many fruits and vegetables they ate. At the end of the challenge they will be eligible for a free day pass to Sea World.

“Exercise that is fun teaches (kids) that it’s part of normal life,” Michelle Ryerson, senior vice president of chief nursing and chief operating officer for UHS Children’s Health, told the Rivard Report. “As a result of that, we can prevent most of the illnesses we get as adults. These are the things that change our community and keep children fit and in school. This is all a part of making a healthy San Antonio.”

Click here for the full story from the Rivard Report.