Newport-Mesa schools don’t make cut in fitness contest

The Costa Mesa-based Orange County Department of Education on Tuesday released the names of two dozen schools that have adequately measured up to the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, a statewide competition that tries to get students to exercise between a half-hour and an hour per day.

None of the finalists included Newport-Mesa schools.

The finalists were selected from 2,649 participating schools. Only 127 schools were named as finalists, which means some will be able to qualify for prizes that include new $100,000 fitness

centers at their school sites and regional awards totaling $5,000 apiece.

More than 1.3 million students recorded more than 11 million days of physical activity through the Governor’s Challenge 2010.

In Orange County, 139,000 students, teachers and parents recorded more than 2.5 million days of physical activity, making Orange County “the most active” in California, according to Kenny Rogers, a spokesman for the county’s education department in Costa Mesa.

The schools in Orange County that made the final cut were: Anaheim High School, Andrew Jackson Elementary in Santa Ana, Ball Junior High in Anaheim, Brookhurst Junior High in Anaheim, Columbus Tustin in Tustin, Cypress High School, Dale Junior High in Anaheim, Frederick Remington Elementary in Santa Ana, Golden Hill Elementary in Fullerton, Hector G. Godinez in Santa Ana, John F. Kennedy Elementary in Santa Ana, John F. Kennedy High School in La Palma, Katella High in Anaheim, Lexington Junior High in Cypress, Lora High in Anaheim, Lydia Romero-Cruz Elementary in Santa Ana, Magnolia High in Anaheim, Savanna High in Anaheim, South Junior High in Anaheim, Sycamore Junior High in Anaheim, Walker Elementary in Santa Ana, Walker Junior High in La Palma, and Western High in Anaheim.

The California’s Governor Council on Physical Fitness and Sports is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting physical activity for all Californians with an emphasis on children and youth. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the honorary chairman.

The winners of the special awards will be announced in Sacramento in the fall.

Complete physical activity records of the participating schools can be found on https://www.CalGovCouncil.org.