AUGUSTA – Healthy Community Coalition (HCC), our region’s Healthy Maine Partnership would like to announce that Sarita Crandall, a seventh grade student at Mt. Blue Middle School testified at a legislative hearing on April 30 in the State House.
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The bill was LD 1407, An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the PE4ME Planning & Oversight Team. At this time there is no minimum time requirement for Physical Education (PE) in grades K-8 in Maine schools. Maine Learning Results requires a basic PE competency, which can be tested without any time spent in class. Nicole Ditata, HCC program coordinator, stated this presents a huge problem as many children are sedentary during and after the school day.
Crandall testified that she strongly believes that students should receive 150 minutes per week of physical education in order to help students develop an active and physically fit lifestyle. She also said that she knew a boy who can’t jump or run well and having more physical education will help him to improve these skills.
In October, Crandall had an opportunity to participate in the Healthy Community Coalition Youth Summit at Franklin Memorial Hospital. At this time she learned about Maine’s legislative process, how to write testimony and the importance of sharing her opinion with others. Nicole Ditata shared that Crandall showed a strong interest in testifying on the physical activity bill and when the opportunity arose Crandall was very willing to speak out.
In all, eight people testified in support of LD 1407 and one opposed. A work session has not yet been scheduled for this bill.
This information is provided compliments of the Healthy Community Coalition (HCC). HCC is a Healthy Maine Partnership, an affiliate of the Franklin Community Health Network. Want to know more? Call 779-2932 or toll free at 1-800-525-3136.
