Valley Students Rewarded For Commitment To Fitness

COACHELLA – One local school is getting an “A” for making a commitment to physical activity and good nutrition. Bobby Duke Middle School in Coachella won the 2009 Governor’s Fitness Challenge, beating out hundreds of other schools around the state.

The students at Bobby Duke fulfilled their commitment to eat healthy and exercise at least 3 days a week for 30 to 60 minutes. The prize was a brand new 100 thousand dollar state-of-the-art fitness center.

“I’ve always said, you need to give the schools the tools,” says Jake Steinfeld, Chairman of the California Governor’s Council on Fitness.

The fitness center is more than just a gym. It’s complete with the latest weight machines and cardio equipment, and there are also a lot of fun stuff for the students, like the Dance Revolution game. The goal is for students to find something they enjoy so they’ll enjoy getting active.

“The name of the game is be active and find something you like. Everybody is different,” says Steinfeld.

Students can workout during P.E. and after school. Teachers say it will keep them healthy and safe.

“It keeps kids out of trouble and off the street, out of gangs and away from drugs,” says Jesus Rosa, Bobby Duke Middle School P.E. Teacher.

“We want to introduce them to how they can use this for life and have a healthy lifestyle,” says Kristie Sauceda, Bobby Duke Middle School P.E. Teacher.

Steinfeld says, healthy choices improve every aspect of the kids’ lives.

“If they exercise they feel better about themselves, they are less fidgety in class and they do better on tests,” says Steinfeld.