FITNESSGRAMS Coming to Lakemont And Hungerford Elementary

Push-ups, pull-ups and running—accompanied by grunts and groans—have been the staples of PE classes since parents were in school—and they are not something that generates a lot of discussion at home.

But that may change.

In the 2014-15 school year, the results of fitness tests at Lakemont and Hungerford Elementary schools will be incorporated into FITNESSGRAMS, parent- (and student-) friendly reports on each student’s fitness designed to engage parents in the health and fitness of their children.

The FITNESSGRAMS are made possible at Lakemont Elementary School in Winter Park thanks to support from the Fuel Up to Play 60 (FUTP60), a program sponsored by the National Dairy Council and the National Football League to encourage children to eat healthier and become more active.

Hungerford Elementary School in Eatonville recently received an award supporting the program through the Presidential Youth Fitness Program.

FITNESSGRAMS, designed to be easy to read, will include information on aerobic capacity as well as muscle strength, endurance and flexibility based on testing conducted at school. It will also include information on the student’s body composition (such as Body Mass Index).

The focus is on health, rather than athletic ability.

FITNESSGRAMs are available as student and parent reports. They are personalized and include test results and suggestions for activities that can be done to improve results. They also emphasize the need for regular physical activity. The parent report explains how aerobic capacity, muscle strength, endurance and flexibility and body composition affect health and why it is important to promote physical fitness and activity at home.

For more information about the FITNESSGRAM program, click here:

Overall, FUTP60 grants totaling $48,000–awarded through the Dairy Council of Florida–have been presented this school year to 12 Winter Park Consortium schools for a variety of programs and projects to improve student nutrition and boost physical activity. The Consortium schools include Winter Park High School and its elementary and middle feeder schools. These are the same schools served by the Winter Park Health Foundation’s Coordinated Youth Initiative school-based health and wellness programs.