Members from the 2019 Canada Winter Games group visited Keli Chick’s Grade 1 classroom at Barrie Wilson Elementary School on Monday to launch the Canada Games Activity Challenge, a program aimed at getting children aged five to 12 moving.

The class of 18 watched a video about the Canada Games then proceeded to the gym for their first activity. It was a balloon relay, a race where students passed the inflatable over their heads and through their legs to teammates.

There will be more to come. On average, students will participate in two activities per week until June. The next one will be yoga.

“The purpose of the program is to promote activity but also to share the great impact the Canada Games is having across the country,” said Scott Robinson, CEO of the 2019 Canada Winter Games.

This challenge marks two anniversaries.

As a Canada 150 Signature Project, it’s a celebration of the country’s sesquicentennial but also 50 years of the Canada Games, with the Summer Games to be held in Winnipeg this year.

More than 100 classrooms in Central Alberta have registered in the challenge, Robinson said.

Eleven classes from Barrie Wilson have done so.

“Student wellness is something we really want to promote. We really want to focus on building a healthy school community, whether that’s at school during the day or at night with home and family. We know a healthy student is probably a more successful student,” said principal Chris Good.

“It just creates a more positive school environment, a more positive school culture.”

As part of the challenge, students earn participation points that can lead to prizes.

The grand prize is a trip to the closing ceremonies for this year’s Summer Games in Winnipeg.

Children can also participate at home, tracking their activities online with an application where they build a customizable character. As they complete the challenge, they earn points that can be redeemed for virtual accessories.

joseph.ho@reddeerexpress.com