The Sunnyvale School District has participated in JUST RUN since 2013.
JUST RUN is a free, website-based program designed by fitness and running experts Michael Dove and Susan Love. The national/world fitness program is designed to assist all schools and other youth organizations in the promotion of fitness and healthy lifestyle choices while combating childhood obesity and its related illnesses.
Teachers and leaders can sign up and receive information on training, running tips and fitness activities for kids, supplementary materials such as mile markers, mileage certificates and more.
A key component to the program is “Run Across the USA” which tracks students’ mileage as their class virtually runs from Monterey to Boston. Students can receive incentives as they surpasses mileage goals of 5, 10, and 15 miles run or more. A focus on healthy eating through Just Taste, and on good citizenship through Just Deeds are also features of JUST RUN.
JUST RUN, the award-winning youth fitness program developed by the Big Sur International Marathon, has hit its highest marks ever. As the 2015 academic school year comes to a close, more than 18,000 children, representing 167 schools in 19 states, have logged over a half million miles.
In the Sunnyvale School District the program saw great success at multiple sites this year.
- At Bishop Elementary School, Mary Pound’s school-wide JUST RUN program including KLAS, PE and YMCA recorded 18,000 miles.
- Susan Kramer’s third grade class at San Miguel Elementary recorded over 2,000 Just Deeds.
- At Cherry Chase, Vanessa Bobbit’s first grade class recorded 2,000 miles.
- Gigi Swan’s seventh grade classes at Columbia Middle recorded 13,568 miles.
- Julie Maddox recorded 1,032 miles for her grade 3 class at Vargas Elementary.
- Cumberland’s Kira Knowles recorded 90 miles for her kindergarten classes.
- Sunnyvale School District Students ran approximately 36, 658 miles altogether!
Braeden Barrick at Bishop said of the program, “It is super fun to get prizes for being more fit and healthy. We like the necklaces, bookmarks and wristbands!”
