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Just in time for a fit and fun summer, 10 local schools have successfully completed the Go Active! Fitness Challenge, earning their individual schools up to $500 each in Wintergreen Phys. Ed credits to use towards new gym equipment.

Over 1000 students at the 10 schools completed the Challenge, which involved training and testing for a series of six exercises: crunches, push-ups, 50-metre dash, shuttle run, standing long jump and an endurance run.

Teachers at each school tested their students on the same six exercises once in the fall and again in the spring, aiming for individual improvement rather than focusing on a national standard of excellence.

By participating in the Go Active! Fitness Challenge and exercising regularly, the students at Arnold H McLeod School had over 25% improvement rates between the two test periods in both crunches and 50-metre dash, while students at Mountainview School shaved more than one second off their average time for the 50-metre dash.

Riverside Consolidated School and Edith Cavell School were notable as the two area schools with the highest overall improvement rates for the six exercises (9.45% and 8.52% respectively). These rates were well above the national average improvement rate of 6.64% for all participating schools across the country.

Of the local schools, Salisbury Elementary had the highest student participation rate, with more than 250 students taking part in the Challenge. These students made their biggest average improvement in crunches (11.26% improvement rate).

Other schools in southeastern New Brunswick that successfully completed the Challenge include Salem Elementary, Lower Coverdale School, Forest Glen School, Birchmount School and Port Elgin Regional School. The Go Active! Fitness Challenge is an annual teacher-run program promoting physical activity amongst students.

Schools that participate can earn credits for new gym equipment, from $200 to $500 per school. The Go Active! Fitness Challenge is presented by McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited with support from the Canadian Olympic Committee.

Registration for the 2008-2009 Go Active! Fitness Challenge will open in August at www.fitnesschallenge.ca.