Crestview students recognized for earning Presidential Physical Fitness Award

BRUNSWICK — Students at Crestview Elementary School in Brunswick were recognized for their athletic achievement by recently earning the Presidential Physical Fitness Award. Gym teacher Ryan Smith said the mission behind the Presidential Fitness Award is to educate and empower students to live healthier lives through regular physical activity and good nutrition. "When they are active and healthy, it keeps them focused," he said. "It jump-starts them on a track for lifelong physical fitness." To earn the award, students must meet the criteria on a rubric based on their age and gender, Smith said. Core strength is tested through the number of curl-ups in one minute or the number of seconds a plank is held. The cardio metric is reached through running a mile in a certain amount of time or by completing a certain number of laps in the 20-meter beep test. To meet the upper body requirement, students must complete a certain number of pushups or pullups. "I give the kids, once a quarter, the opportunity to do that during class," Smith said. "They can go home and practice if they want to. I also run a fitness club in the morning weekly, so students can set a goal, work on it and try to meet it." The nine Presidential Fitness Award recipients from Crestview are: Payton Brown Adelia Cehlar Maddie DiFrancesco Julianna Durken Allison Fink Jaxon Hernandez Camryn Komar Emerson Moehring Aidan Warnock "These students embody the highest standards of character and effort in the field of play and in the classroom," Smith said. "They were an absolute joy to coach, to watch them grow as individuals and to watch them grow as a team. These students consistently demonstrated strong character, teamwork and effort. It has been a joy to watch them grow as athletes and leaders." To recognize the students for their achievements, Smith rolled out a red carpet and invited parents to watch their child receive a certificate, hat and a medal. "Some people do well academically, some people do well in music and some people do well in art," he said. "For some students, this is where they shine, and I think they should be recognized for it." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.