Lighten Up Louisiana Kids, the states four-month competition encouraging physical activity and better eating habits, concluded on May 17 with a Ruston Elementary School taking the top honors. Almost 7,600 participants on 85 teams completed the program, accumulating 3.9 million activity miles during the event.

Rudy Macklin, director of the Governors Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, said he was thrilled that so many of Louisianas kids took up the challenge to get healthy.

Its great to see kids being so enthusiastic about exercise and healthy living, he said. The hard work and dedication these kids have put into this competition in the past four months is admirable. Most importantly, they come away from it all with a better understanding of what it means to be physically fit.

Of the top ten winners, five are students from Cedar Creek Elementary School in Ruston. Macklin says the race for first place became very tight in the last couple of weeks. Prien Lake Elementary School out of Lake Charles had been in the lead throughout most of the competition, but in the last week of the contest, Cedar Creek Elementary kicked it up a notch to take not only first place, but second, third and fourth as well.

The winners represented the following schools:

1st Cedar Creek Elementary Second grade Ms. Lewisclass, Ruston
2nd Cedar Creek Elementary First grade Ms. Adamsclass, Ruston
3rd Cedar Creek Elementary First grade Ms. Machens class, Ruston
4th Cedar Creek Elementary Fourth grade Ms. Robichauxs class, Ruston
5th Prien Lake Elementary Prien Lake Running Club, Lake Charles
6th Turner Middle Tigers 2, Shreveport
7th Turner Middle Tigers, Shreveport
8th Turner Middle Tigers 1, Shreveport
9th Turner Middle Turner Middle, Shreveport
10th Cedar Creek Elementary Kindergarten Ms. Whites class, Ruston

We encouraged the youth of our state to follow the example set by the immensely popular Lighten Up Louisiana Program, said Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Dr. Fred Cerise. I would like to congratulate all those who joined the challenge and thank the team captains who helped make the event such a success.

The winners will be recognized in their local newspapers, and will also receive Lighten Up Louisiana Kids T-shirts and a certificate of their achievements.

Submitted by Rob Anderson. Filed under Obesity

Comments

Are you hosting the LIghten Up LA Kids competition again this fall?
Melanie Boulet on August 1st, 2008

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