By Elora Brow
Staff Writer
Fitness testing is a crucial way of ensuring the health and fitness of Costa students and is a clear judgment of students’ health and athleticism. Therefore, students will be encouraged to stay in the best shape they can be in order to pass the test.
The state’s fitness test forces students to meet certain requirements, based on their height, body mass index and gender. If a student appears overweight or has health problems, such as asthma, he or she is highly encouraged not to take the test and instead, take four years of physical education, rather than two, in order to prevent problems that may arise from not being in shape. This encouragement is beneficial because it helps keep the students healthy and in shape by motivating them to meet a goal.
Although this process may be discouraging for those who are encouraged to not take the test for the way their body is built, the positive effects outweigh the negatives. Therefore, while being encouraged not to take the test might single students out for their bodies, it is in the students’ best interest because it encourages them to try again when their body weight meets the specified mark.
According to the State of California’s Department of Education, the primary goal of the fitness test is to assist students in establishing lifetime habits of regular exercise by showing proper health examples. For those taking the test, it is important to develop routines of physical fitness early on in order to help prevent the body from developing certain health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease, that would make them fall in the category of being encouraged to stay fit later in life.
California’s fitness testing policy is also able to encourage students to stay healthy and fit due to the fact that if they pass the test, it lessens the amount of PE classes they have to take and increases room for elective or academic classes.
According to Vice Principal Jon Shaw, Costa uses the fitness testing in hopes that students will stay in shape and be healthy. According to the website letsmove.gov, if students stay in shape, then they feel better and are able to perform at a higher level academically and physically. Therefore, this test is not only beneficial for students’ health but also their education.
According to Independent Study Athletics Coordinator Denise Anderson, athletes have an advantage when taking the test because they train everyday. Passing the test is not only possible for athletes, but easier for them due to their constant exercise. This proves that constant training keeps the body in shape and gives the students the ability to physically succeed more easily, which should encourage students to stay physically active for the test.
According to the newspaper the Chilliwack Progress, the test can also strengthen school sports teams. This is because it helps coaches recognize the strengths and weaknesses of players, and they can use the results of the test to improve the performance of their team. This shows that the fitness test is not only beneficial to the individual student’s health but also to the school as a whole, as it helps make a more cohesive team.
This testing procedure motivates students to stay fit and active. When students are in shape, they are happier and perform better physically and academically, making this policy beneficial to the students and their health.
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