Maury Elementary School Receives 2015 Let’s Move! Active Schools National Award

Matthew Maury Elementary School has been named as one of 525 schools across the United States to be awarded the 2015 Let’s Move! Active Schools National Award.

Maury was given the honor for its success in integrating an hour of physical activity into the school day, in line with First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative. Movement has been shown by educational, cognitive, psychological, medical, and behavioral research to be one of the best ways to get all children to gain control over their behavior and to engage with and retain what is being taught.

“I am extremely proud of the students, parents and staff at Maury. Keeping children active, engaged and healthy in the environment where they spend the majority of their waking hours, is a top priority for our school,” said Principal Lucretia Jackson.

To reach 60 minutes a day, physical education and recess time are supplemented at Maury with more opportunities for physical activity offered free of charge for students K through fifth grade. Running clubs, yoga, CrossFit, fun runs and a strong garden program that includes hands-on learning for students in farm-to-table events are also offered at the school.

“The Let’s Move! Active Schools National Award is the nation’s top physical activity and physical education distinction for K-12 schools and we commend Maury’s exemplary work around and commitment to active learning environments,” said Charlene Burgeson, Let’s Move! Active Schools Executive Director.

Let’s Move! Active Schools works to transform the physical activity and physical education culture in America’s schools. By streamlining the selection of programs, resources, professional development and funding opportunities and delivering each school a customized Action Plan, Let’s Move! Active Schools results in children moving for the nationally-recommended 60 minutes a day.

Maury Elementary will be provided with a banner, certificate and congratulatory letter from the First Lady to display at their school.