Farmington PE Teacher Finalist for Governor's Fitness Award

Gregory Thompson, physical education instructor at Longacre Elementary School, has been selected as a 2014 Governor’s Fitness, Champion for Health Award finalist.

The Governor’s Fitness Award is an annual event hosted by the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports and the Michigan Fitness Foundation to honor individuals or organizations that make a difference in their community.

Thompson, along with other finalists, will be honored on Thursday at a legislative reception at the State Capital in Lansing. That same evening finalists will attend a Gala Celebration at Ford Field. 

Thompson was nominated for this award by parents in the community for the Governor’s Fitness Award.

For more than four years, four mornings a week, 30 minutes before school starts, Thompson runs the “Rise and Shine” Sessions for all Longacre students, first through fourth grade, who wish to participate.

There is a 50-cent voluntary donation which he uses to purchase equipment.  Students learn body awareness and have fun while they work on fitness, agility, strength, stamina, and balance while preparing mentally for their day. Mr. Thompson feels “doing physical activity in the morning helps brain activity, which improves kids’ education.” 

Thompson developed a school-wide upper body strength program, noting many students are weak in this area.

Each class developed its own five-minute exercise video. As students' performance improved from that video, they made a new video and used the prior as a warm-up. A total of 35 videos have created and may be viewed at home by students or by accessing the web site for their classroom.

Each time the students exercise at home they mark their calendar. Each student works on a personal goal and sets up a schedule as “homework” with Thompson. In the 2012-2013 school year, the upper body strength exercises culminated into a proclamation from Farmington Hills, declaring the school to be know as “Strongacre” for one day. 

School employees can also participate in exercise programs three days a week right after school.

Source: Farmington Public Schools