Update from iEducate Delaware Honoree Matt Farina
This blog post was authored by 2013 iEducate Delaware Honoree Matt Farina, Physical Education Instructor at Mount Pleasant Elementary School. In addition to the iEducate Delaware honor, he was also named the 2013 Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year for the State of Delaware. To learn about the 2014-15 year of iEducate Delaware, read this blog post.
A few months ago, Mount Pleasant Elementary hosted the 2nd Annual Brandywine School District Elementary Fitness Festival. Students and families from all elementary schools in the Brandywine School District, as well as families from our local community were invited to attend the free event that enabled them to participate in games, activities, and exercises. The event showcased local organizations such as the Wilmington Blue Rocks, Delaware 87ers, and Philadelphia Union, national organizations such as United States Tennis Association, First Tee Golf, and many local programs in soccer, Zumba, yoga, rock climbing, trampolines, moounbounces, obstacle courses, and much much more.
We opened the gates to the three hour event and kids were introduced to opportunities that they may never have had previous to this experience. The initial program was designed to give our inner city students more chances to participate in activities and to be introduced to opportunities that may have not been previously presented. We began as a small festival, but believed that we could truly impact the entire community by opening the doors to all young children.
As the creator and coordinator of the Fitness Festival, it was my hope and dream to give students an opportunity to enjoy activity, movement, and exercise through a one day event that will provide the knowledge and skills to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. With approximately 650 attendees, the Festival has increased annually, and we hope it will continue to grow to reach even more elementary students. The students were amazing and it was truly a remarkable day filled with smiles, laughter, joy, and happiness. The vendors, sponsors, associations, and programs provided amazing resources and truly were responsible for having a positive impact on today’s youth. The entire Festival truly demonstrated a collaborative passion to raise and impact healthy young minds, and it was an event that we know will reach many students, staff, and families going forward. And my financial award from being an iEducate Honoree helped to make it possible!