Two lucky Clearview Elementary students were the recipients of new athletic shoes after running the most morning miles.

 

An anonymous donor challenged the students at the school to see who could run the most miles in November during the school’s Morning Mile initiative, offering the top two runners a brand-new pair of athletic shoes of their choice.

 

The Morning Mile is a before-school walking program that gives students the chance to actively start each day with music and friends. The goal of the initiative is to increase activity and help fight childhood obesity. Clearview began the program this fall and teachers begin noticing a positive difference immediately; students have been more calm and focused.

 

Third-grader Vaughn Blair came up the winner, running 20.16 miles. Fourth-grader Ian Langbehn came in a close second with 17.16 miles.

 

Physical education teacher George Bienusa, who began The Morning Mile initiative, brought each student to Scheels to pick out their prizes. Blair came home with a new pair of Nikes, Langbehn chose a pair of Adidas.

 

The students are enjoying their morning mile, some walking or running six to eight laps each day. In November they walked 2,112 miles, the equivalent of walking from Clearview to Los Angeles, CA. As of the beginning of December the student body had walked enough miles to get from Clearview to Cairo, Egypt, a total of 7,121 miles.