Four thousand kids across BC get moving during Be Active Every Day program

Mountain bikes and a Subway sandwich party were awarded to students who best demonstrated why being active is good for their bodies

More than 4,000 kids in 17 communities across BC completed the month-long Be Active Every Day (BAED) challenge and received certificates to celebrate their achievement of being active for at least an hour of every day from October 7 – November 1.

The second annual BAED program was developed by the BC Medical Association in response to the latest findings from the Canadian Health Measures Survey that only seven percent of 5-11 year olds meet the Canadian Physical Activity guidelines of one hour of activity a day. Physicians across BC visited 34 schools from Fort St John to Victoria, Kamloops to Cranbrook, organizing activities that kept students active throughout the month in an effort to curb childhood obesity trends.

Mountain bikes were awarded to five students at schools Christchurch Cathedral, General Wolfe, Robb Road, Myrtle Philip, and William Cook for winning an essay contest explaining why being active is good for their body. A Subway sandwich party was awarded to the grade five class of Walnut Park Elementary in Smithers, BC for their class photos showing them in action. Winning essays and photos can be found here.

BAED had the support of the Canadian National Free Style Skiing and Snowboarding Associations. Olympic half-pipe snowboarder Mercedes Nicoll and Canadian National Team mogul skier Andi Naude encouraged kids to keep moving through a series of videos, blog posts, and a kids’ booklet – they even visited a couple of schools along with the physicians.

Feedback from the challenge was extremely positive with doctors, teachers, and parents happy to have a program organized at their local school that encouraged activity from the perspective of a doctor. They emphasized that the children identified with Mercedes and Andi, and their message to kids to be “Olympic strong.”

At the conclusion of the challenge, the doctors each returned to their respective schools to hand out certificates and to listen to how the kids kept active during the challenge and what they learned. BCMA President Dr William Cunningham returned to Mackenzie Elementary in Vancouver, where the students said they biked, played basketball, ran, swam, and played soccer, just to name a few.

Students with their certificates at MacKenzie Elementary, Vancouver. Way to go guys!

“The challenge may be over, but your daily activity doesn’t have to end,” said Dr Cunningham to the students. “You are now beginning the road to a healthier lifestyle, and being active can only lead to better outcomes. Who knows? Maybe one day you will be Olympic strong!”