Texas Border Business
EDINBURG – Lyndon Baines Johnson Elementary School students and staff recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the launching of their Project Fit America Program.
Johnson Elementary School is one of 19 schools and the third campus from the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District to receive a grant since the Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation began sponsoring the Project Fit America (PFA) Program in 2014.
“We would like to thank the Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation for funding this project for $25,000,” said ECISD Physical Education Coordinator Leo Reyes.
Edinburg CISD students, coaches and staff joined foundation representatives in the fitness celebration, where organizers unveiled the new outdoor fitness equipment to be used in a “fit pit.”
“On behalf of the Edinburg CISD Board of Trustees, I would like to thank the Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation for awarding us this grant,” said ECISD Board Member Dominga “Minga” Vela. “We are always looking to partner with great people like you.”
“I want to congratulate LBJ Elementary School on receiving the Project Fit America grant,” said Bernadette Perez, a grants associated with the Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation. “The Legacy Foundation is a private foundation that invests in healthy initiatives all over the Rio Grande Valley.”
According to Project Fit America, the donation was used to pay for state-of-the-art fitness equipment specifically designed to address the deficit areas where children fail fitness tests; indoor fitness equipment; a dynamic curriculum with games, activities, and challenges for kids with the PFA outdoor and indoor equipment.
“With PFA on board, we can create new and sustainable opportunities for kids to be active, fit and healthy,” said Johnson Elementary School Principal Enrique De La Cruz. “The PFA curriculum, equipment, and lesson plans will be part of the children’s everyday school experience.”
“I hope to increase student’s awareness of their personal fitness levels throughout the school year,” Johnson Elementary School Physical Education (PE) Teacher Anahi Garcia said. “The PFA curriculum allows students the opportunity to challenge themselves to improve weekly. Inevitably they will begin to take ownership over their health and wellness.”
PFA also provides support to the school for two years along with on-site training with the PE teacher.
