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Andersen youth have fun, get fit during Fun and Fitness Week

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Shane Dunaway
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs
More than 150 students, ranging from pre-kindergarteners to fifth-graders, participated in Fun and Fitness Week, a program designed to promote healthy living among children, May 5-8 at Andersen Elementary School here. 

Physical education teachers Dialma Cartagena and Josephine Pinto organized the four-day event. 

According to Mrs. Cartagena, AES conducts Fun and Fitness week annually during the first week of May. The event contains a variety of age-appropriate physical activities.
"We want to instill in them the importance and love for physical activity," Mrs. Cartagena said. "The activities cover upper and lower body [exercises] and each station runs for 10-15 minutes." 

For students in first through fifth grade, the events were held in the gymnasium. Pre-K and kindergarten events were held outside in the school's playground area.
"I liked all the activities," said Joey Vinch, a student at AES. "The water and relay stations were my favorite." 

Volunteers base-wide also provided their assistance in putting the fun in Fun and Fitness Week, manning various stations including jump rope, hula hoop and tug-of-war.
 
"This was a breath of fresh air," said Senior Airman David Demarest, a crew chief from the 36th Mobility Response Squadron who volunteered each day of the event. "It was really fun to spend time with kids who are innocent and just want to have fun. This is probably the most fun I ever had volunteering."