See Donation Dollars In Action
Atlanta Kids Find Half-Marathon a Big Step on the Road to Better Fitness
SEPT 29, 2007
And they’re off! Atlanta middle-schoolers were on the run March 25th for the ING Georgia Marathon and Half Marathon. Joining some 15,000-plus avid runners, approximately 100 Atlanta middle school students finished their first half-marathon … and their first step toward a lifetime of health and fitness.
As part of the ING Run For Something Better® (RFSB) program in metro Atlanta, these students joined in the final mile of the ING Georgia Marathon. The students had already completed 12 miles in their gym classes, running a mile at a time over the past several weeks. The last mile of their half-marathon took place on the ING Georgia Marathon course.
This unique program sponsors races across the country to raise money for school fitness programs — all with the goal to promote fitness and help battle childhood obesity. And judging by the great turnout here in Atlanta, kids are getting the message.
Once the starting signal was given, the RFSB runners were off, circling parallel to the marathon course, then entering it and finishing alongside the adult runners. Family, friends and spectators cheered them along and greeted them at the finish line. Before the race, Kathy Murphy, CEO of U.S. Wealth Management, and Rhonda Mims, head of Community Relations and President of the ING Foundation talked to students about the importance of physical fitness. Dr. Beverly Hall, superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools, first embraced the Run For Something Better in the metro area, bringing on board Billette Owens-Ashford, director of Physical Education and Athletics.
“ ING Run For Something Better® is a great program that is helping us in an interdisciplinary way and by providing the funding for a program that the children really enjoy, ” observed Owens-Ashford. “ During the time the students have been running in gym class, they’ve plotted how far they’ve progressed on a map of the marathon course. As they do that, they’re learning about the history of the different neighborhoods the 'pass through’ and learn to convert the distances they run to metrics. ”
But what did the students think about their final mile? Members of the “Fabulous Five” from Pierce Middle School — Ryan, Jardin, Quendarius, Qiantavrof and Dearcus — are all pleased with their accomplishment. “ The hill on the course was tough, but once we reached the top, it was easy, ” Ryan said. “ We were passing the old people like they were standing still. ” All five plan to keep running and enter other races.
Meanwhile, the future of the ING Run For Something Better® Program looks particularly bright. “ We started with small steps, launching a pilot program at four Atlanta middle schools, ” said Owens-Ashford. “ Next year, we hope to have all 16 middle schools and more than 2,000 students participating. ” And we all can agree — that’s something worth cheering for.