This morning, at Dr. A.T. Leatherbarrow Primary School in Hampton, NB, 225 children welcomed two-time Paralympic medalist, wheelchair basketball Team Canada captain and Canada Games alumnus Robert “Bo” Hedges to their school assembly for the national kick-off of the Canada Games Activity Challenge: a Canada 150 signature project.

The students join the almost 200,000 students from elementary schools across Canada who have signed up with their teachers to participate in the Activity Challenge, committing to participate in daily physical activities at school and at home based on fundamental movement skills—the building blocks that sport and physical activity for life.

Dr. A.T. Leatherbarrow Primary School was only one of two schools in Canada to beat out thousands nation-wide for the opportunity to host Hedges and Jennifer Heil, (two-time Olympic freestyle ski medalist and world champion) when their school’s physical education specialist Michelle Brenton—herself a Canada Games alumna—signed up for the Activity Challenge.

“As a former Canada Games athlete, I understand the importance of the Canada Games and its longstanding tradition of helping Canadian youth achieve their dreams,” says Brenton.  “We are so excited to host Paralympian Bo Hedges at our school to help promote physical activity and wellness to our students and our entire community. Thank you to the Canada Games for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”

The Canada Games Activity Challenge is a fun, free and interactive program designed to help children ages 5 – 12 build daily, active habits. The Activity Challenge is aimed at inspiring the 90% of youth that are not currently meeting the recommended daily amount of physical activity, and will empower elementary teachers with a database of age-appropriate and skill-specific activities, linked to Canada’s Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model. Participants in the Activity Challenge will stick to a daily activity program, based on the principles of physical literacy.  The program is inclusive and adaptive, and there are rewards for kids along the way.

“It’s an honour to be an Ambassador for this program,” says Hedges. “Sport and physical activity have played an integral role in my life, and that’s why I wanted to be a part of a program that is addressing some of the inactivity challenges that kids are currently facing. I was glad to meet the students at Dr. Leatherbarrow Primary, and I’m looking forward to seeing kids across Canada get more involved.”

The Canada Games Activity Challenge runs in Canadian elementary schools until the end of June 2017. There are three modules of 30 days each, with prizes and incentives throughout, including one grand prize of a trip for a student and guardian from each province and territory to attend the Closing Ceremony at the Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg this August. The program was designed to celebrate the Canada Games 50th anniversary for Canada’s 150 year of Confederation, and registration is still available for modules 2 and 3.

Get inspired to get active, and sign up your class today: www.canadagames.ca/activitychallenge

For more information about the Canada Games Activity Challenge, please contact:   CGACinfo@canadagames2.ca