THUNDER BAY -- St. Francis Elementary School on Tuesday was rewarded for its emphasis on physical activity.
The Hero of Play Day gives students a full day away from the classroom and a visit from three-time Olympian medallist Haley Irwin.
Schools across Canada entered in a contest that rewards schools who make physical activity a priority. St. Francis was one of four schools chosen.
“We’re thrilled,” principal Shelley Taylor said. “There’s a lot of hard work and dedication… this recognizes the teacher's successes, and we have a lot who are doing a lot of physical activity with their students.”
The school took on a number of initiatives throughout the year to foster the environment of physical activity.
“We developed a track, an active playground, we did winter activities, daily physical activity… we have our kids moving,” Taylor said.
St. Francis staff put together a collage showcasing these activities as their submission.
Irwin, a forward on Canada’s women’s hockey team, gave students the chance to check out two gold, and one silver medal from Irwin’s three Olympic games.
“It’s about being active,” Irwin said. “Whether you play a sport and fall in love with it like I did, or you stay active because it’s fun… it’s important. And having these kids learn from a young age is important.”
At St. Francis the level of an athlete may vary, but the love of being active seemingly applies to everyone.
“It’s fun. You get lots of exercise,” says Daniel Wilson who manages to play hockey, basketball football, and soccer. “It’s important to stay healthy.”
Third-grader Renee Jessome doesn’t play any particular sport, but she loves to be outdoors.
“It gives us a better opportunity to be active and more healthy.”
