The student running club at Livermore's Rancho Las Positas Elementary has won a top prize in the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports awards.
But instead of taking the $100,000 worth of fitness equipment that comes with the prize, the students are giving their winnings to a needier school in Modesto.
Rancho Las Positas Principal Chris Calabrese said though his school is not affluent, they wanted to help others more in need.
The equipment will go to Tuolumne Elementary in Modesto, which statewide organizers of the competition picked.
"We think it's fantastic," Tuolumne Elementary Principal Mark Lewis said Thursday. "I've had teachers come to my office with tears in their eyes with great gratitude. We had an assembly with students this morning and the students were stunned."
Bret Dupuis, one of the founders of Rancho Las Positas' Raccoon Runners, said they were optimistic about winning the state award, but it was still a surprise.
"We were just shocked and the kids are excited," Dupuis said. About 200 fourth- and fifth-graders who have been heavily involved received the award during a ceremony at the Capitol on Wednesday that included meeting Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Rancho Las Positas is one of three top winners statewide. The top high school was in Downey, while the middle school winner was in Coachella. The schools were picked from 1,165 that entered. Those schools had to have students engaging
in 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity per day, at least three days a week, over a monthlong period during the previous school year. This is the third year the awards have been given.
The Livermore running program is open to all students and was started in the 2006-07 school year by parents Dupuis and Dave Hinds.
Students in the program run for about 30 minutes before school Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Students also run during their school's physical education activities. They get small plastic charms, which organizers found on the Internet and built a reward program around, to mark their achievement. Students collect Popsicle sticks for each lap, and for each mile receive a small plastic foot. Ten of those can be traded in for a big foot. With two big feet and six small ones, they can get one with "26.2, " the distance of a marathon.
Dupuis said more than 113,000 miles have been run since the program started — 75,000 by those students who went to the Sacramento on Wednesday. He said that averages 80 miles per student per year. While the top student has run 454 miles, he said all students have run at least 10 miles a year.
The idea started after a representative of Project Fit America — which gave the school a grant of playground equipment — commented on how the school's sports field could become a good track. Students run on a quarter-mile track made with a lawn mower around the school's sports field, but fundraising is under way to construct a $35,000 track, Dupuis said.
In addition to the physical fitness lessons, the program is also being used to teach students about helping those in need.
In their application to the state year this year and in 2008, when the school was the Bay Area Regional Award winner, organizers said they would give the equipment to a more needy school if they won. Dupuis said though Rancho Las Positas Elementary needs the equipment, organizers felt they were fortunate in receiving the previous playground equipment grant and are near the end of their track fundraising.
"We're using it as an opportunity to teach benevolence and charity to students," Dupuis said.
Lewis, the Modesto principal, said many of the students live in poverty. Additionally, air quality can be low and gang activity at a nearby park make it difficult to have outside activities. He said the gift has also inspired the school to help others less fortunate.
The state also gave award to school staff, nonprofits and others. The Manteca school district was one of 11 school districts recognized for its support of fitness.
Reach Eric Louie at 925-847-2123.
