Released on January 20, 2011
Grade 5 students at Saskatoon's Silverspring School received a special surprise today as a reward for winning the first checkpoint of the Healthy Kids School Challenge. Members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders showed up to speak with the kids about the importance of health and fitness and to hand out prizes for each student.
"The Healthy Kids School Challenge is an opportunity for teachers, schools, and the community to work together and promote a healthier lifestyle for our students," First Nation and Métis Relations Minister and Saskatoon Silver Springs MLA Ken Cheveldayoff said on behalf of Education Minister Donna Harpauer. "It is great to know that students are getting excited about getting active and eating healthier foods. It is important for the children to see that exercise and nutrition can be fun."
The Healthy Kids School Challenge was developed by the Ministry of Education, in partnership with other ministries and in motion to encourage students to get active and make healthy food choices. Teachers can still register their classroom at https://challenge-edu.gov.sk.ca and students can collect points for every minute of physical activity or each healthy food choice they make.
The challenge has a checkpoint every six weeks until the end of the school year. The classroom who collects the most points will win a special prize. Current checkpoint prizes include a $200 gift card from Wintergreen Phys Ed, and a special Saskatchewan Roughriders prize pack which includes a visit from two members of the team.
"The Healthy Kids School Challenge is an outstanding opportunity to get kids around the province interested in healthier lifestyles," Riders President/CEO Jim Hopson said. "We are very thankful and appreciative to be a part of this great program."
Each six week checkpoint is a new opportunity for teachers and students to join the challenge and start collecting points. The classroom with the most total points at the end of the challenge will win a special grand prize. Additional checkpoint prizes and information on the grand prize will be released as the challenge progresses.
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For more information, contact:
Ryan Mulatz
Education
Regina
Phone: 306-787-6026
Email: Ryan.Mulatz@gov.sk.ca