Home Greenport Union Free School District Greenport Elementary School It’s official: Project Fit is coming to Greenport Elementary School

It’s official: Project Fit is coming to Greenport Elementary School

Project Fit, a nationwide fitness initiative that provides equipment and teacher training, launched in Riverhead schools in 2013. File photo: Katie Blasl

Attention Greenport elementary students: prepare to get fit this fall.

Greenport Elementary School is the latest recipient of a Project Fit America grant, which will be put towards installing new indoor and outdoor fitness equipment.

“I am very appreciative to our elementary principal, Mr. Tsavares, and our secondary principal Mr. Kalish,” said Greenport Superintendent David Gamberg. Tsavares and Kalish wrote the application for the grant, he said, with help from the physical education teachers.

Project Fit America is a nationwide fitness initiative that began in 1990 that works with schools to install fitness equipment and to train teachers in a specialized curriculum. It’s goal is “to reverse the lack of fitness in youth and teach children to take personal responsibility for their health,” according to the website.

Project Fit America came to New York in 2013, when Riverhead Central School District was the first in the state to implement the fitness initiative. The program has been “tremendously successful,” according to Peconic Bay Medical Center, which spearheaded the launch in Riverhead and is behind the push to get the program on the North Fork.

Peconic Bay Medical Center partnered with local businesses and organizations, including GymGuyz East End, JABS, Mattituck Lions Club and Kait’s Angels, to help launch the program on the North Fork. The project costs $17,800 to launch per school.

“Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up active, fit and healthy. This project will impact hundreds of kids for years and years,” said Dayna Corlito, GymGuyz East End owner in a story last month.

In April, GymGuyz East End, the Lions and Kait’s Angel’s donated a combined $23,000 to the effort.

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Courtney Blasl
Courtney is a freelance photographer, videographer, web designer and writer. She is a lifelong Riverhead resident.