By Joan Goodchild, Community Reporter
Shrewsbury – Hundreds of Shrewsbury students and their families jumped rope for healthy hearts at the town's first “Get Fit Family Adventure.”
The event, which was held at Shrewsbury High School, is part of several initiatives planned as the result of a $1.4 million physical education grant recently awarded to the Shrewsbury Public Schools.
The Carol M. White Physical Education Program grant from the U.S. Department of Education includes funding over three years that will be used for improvements in physical education and nutrition.
Patricia Degon, Shrewsbury's director of health, physical education and family consumer science, said the funding will also be used to purchase physical education equipment in the district.
The fitness event included a performance by the Miscoe Hill Skippers, a competitive jump rope team from Upton. Students and families were then invited onto the floor to take part in a number of heart healthy activities, including jumping ropes themselves, or running an obstacle course. Representatives from the American Heart Association were on hand to guide people through the fitness stations.
“We want you as parents to think about what you are going to do to encourage your kids to stay active, especially during vacation,” Degon said to the assembled crowd.
