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EASTON, Conn. The entire student body at Samuel Staples Elementary School in Easton flooded the fields Wednesday morning to participate in Project ACES, or All Children Exercise Simultaneously, an annual national event sponsored by the Youth Fitness Coalition to promote health and fitness.
Students in grades 3 to 5 walked and ran around the top field, and kids in kindergarten through second grade took the bottom field, transforming the school into a frenetic exercise pavilion for a total of 15 minutes.
Physical education director Jason Studeny and two gym teachers supervised the activity, yelling out to students to stay outside or inside the orange cones, depending on whether they were walking or running.
Project ACES, which was launched in 1989 and occurs at 10 a.m. on the first Wednesday in May, brings out unity and awareness of physical activity, Studeny said. Our hope is we can introduce them to physical activity, and theyll go on to play sports for a lifetime and be active. They dont have to go on to be world-class athletes, but theyll learn the importance of physical activity that can prevent heart disease.
Nearly 670 students participated in the event, with most smiling and laughing as they lapped the field.
The kids are so competitive, Studeny said. And theyre all having a good time.
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