Holley school adds exercise equipment, grant renewed for second year
Provided photos – Holley has a variety of exercise equipment in the Family Fitness Center.
HOLLEY – The school district has been notified that the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) grant has been approved for a second year for $214,601.
Holley received this continuance of the grant because they have “good performance of the grant’s goals and objectives and have improved on all three Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) measures,” the school district announced.
Those measures Holley must meet include:
1. Students completing 60 minutes of daily physical activity, measured with pedometers and activity logs;
2. Students meeting the standard of a healthy fitness zone in at least five of the six fitness areas of the Presidential Youth Fitness Program;
3. Students consuming two fruits and three vegetables per day, measured with surveys.
Holley students wore movable bands to record their physical activity, participated in fitness and nutrition activities through physical education classes and FIT4U! sessions throughout the year, and were provided with fruits and vegetables through the cafeteria services program during and after school.
Holley received $438,430 in the first year of the PEP grant, which made the creation of the Family Fitness Center in the Elementary School possible, along with the programs mentioned above.
Physical Education teacher Lisa Campbell has been the administrator of the grant.
“I wish to commend Lisa Campbell on her efforts to help secure the grant,” said District Superintendent Robert D’Angelo.
“I also commend her for her hard work with the Family Fitness Center and all of the activities associated with educating students, staff, parents and the community about the importance of good nutrition and physical activity. I look forward to the second year of this grant and the good things to come from it.”
If Holley shows further improvement in the GPRA measures in its second year, the district can receive a continuance award of $128,612.
“Our physical education staff has worked diligently to ensure that we not only meet, but exceed, the standards of the grant requirements,” Campbell said. “Their support and fine efforts are sincerely appreciated.”
Cora Bennage, a Holley fifth grader, is pictured on the elliptical machine in the Holley Family Fitness Center.
Holley recently added more state-of-the-art equipment to its Family Fitness Center. An abdominal machine, leg press, rowing machine and lateral elliptical machine have been added.
This is in addition to the treadmills, stationary bikes, elliptical machines, iDance system, cross trainer, upper body ergometer, adaptive motion trainer, weight bench and free weights that the center currently has. Some pieces of equipment are youth-sized to enable children ages 10 and older to exercise alongside their family members.
The Family Fitness Center is open Monday through Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. when school is in session. The Family Fitness Center is available for use by residents of the Holley Central School District free of charge. Children age 10 and older may use the center with their families in the evening.
The Family Fitness Center is available for use by classes during the school day and by staff when not in use by classes. Trained supervisors are on duty during family fitness times to assist participants and to promote a safe and orderly environment in which to work out.
Nicole Rose, a Holley graduate, has been coming to the Family Fitness Center for the last couple of months.
“It saves me on gym membership if I come here,” said Rose.
Scott Allen, who lives nearby, also echoes that sentiment. “I like being able to come here four nights a week and it’s easy to get here,” said Allen.
Holley parent Kevin McGuire agrees. “I can work out here when I drop off my kids to play a sport – it’s really convenient,” said McGuire. “It’s never crowded and they have brand new equipment.”
The district qualified for almost $800,000 of federal funding to promote good nutrition and physical exercise among the students, staff and district families.
