The snow on the ground didn’t stop students at Detroit Premier Academy from staying active. Students combined fundraising and health and wellness at their first-ever Fun Run.
All students, kindergarten through eighth grade, earned pledges from family and friends to raise a total of $4,500. Students learned about health and wellness, and the importance of exercise while earning money for the school. Proceeds will go towards school athletic programs, indoor recess buckets, and other students’ incentives.
Throughout the month of November, the highest earners were celebrated by having a pizza party and a dance, taking a trip to the movies to see "Frozen 2", and a trip to Chuck E. Cheese.
The idea for the Fun Run came to fruition when the administrative team was looking for ways to create more opportunities to teach students about health and wellness.
“We had a kick-off assembly that taught the students about the positive benefits of living a healthy lifestyle,” said Natalie Stephens, upper elementary dean at DPA. “School staff dressed up in workout gear and modeled exercise for them, such as jump roping, dance moves, and running. The assembly was pivotal in getting the kids excited to raise money for the school and about healthy choices.”
Students earned pledges to walk or run for 20 minutes. There was a DJ and healthy snacks to keep students energized and moving!
Students were excited to participate and can't wait to do it again. One student said, "This was the best school event we have ever had. I had so much fun, and I hope we can do this more often."
Stephens shared it’s crucial for students to learn about health and wellness because “healthy choices are linked to increased test scores, longer lifespans, less chronic illness, reduced anxiety, better sleep, and much more.”
About Detroit Premier Academy
Detroit Premier Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Detroit, Michigan, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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