Cross country race planned for elementary students

Fourth and fifth grade students will run nearly a mile on cross country course.

Fourth and fifth grade students a Pieter B. Coeymans Elementary School are lining up to take part in a cross country run at the school – an event designed to encourage physical fitness and  combat childhood obesity.

The race – scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Friday – has so far generated 50 registrants, said organizer and Physical Education Teacher Diane Conover. The 0.8 mile race course consists of two laps around the perimeter of the Pieter B. Coeymans school campus.

“The mission is to generate an interest in cross country running and to allow all 4^th and 5^th graders to participate in an out-of-school fitness challenge,” said Conover.

Ribbons will be awarded to the top runners – boys and girls – in each grade level.

The race is open to all fourth and fifth grade students at Pieter B. Coeymans.

“Given the growing number of obese children in our country, RCS is always looking for opportunities to promote a healthy lifestyle among our students and that includes creating physical fitness opportunities,” said school Superintendent Vicki Wright.