The St. Louis Rams and CHARACTERplus, an initiative of the Cooperating School Districts, have named Beasley Elementary a 2012 Character Fitness Model School.

This honor was bestowed on only four schools in the St. Louis region this year for their effective implementation of character fitness.

“Beasley Elementary is working hard to promote healthy living for all staff, students and their families,” Beasley Elementary Principal Andrea Deane stated in a district news release. “We integrated fitness activities as a part of our school-wide positive behavior efforts, and we combined fitness with community service to help our neighbors as part of our district’s Project ENGAGE Plus service learning program.”

During the 2011-2012 school year, Beasley Elementary students and staff participated in a variety of healthy, character-building activities including Jump Rope for Heart benefitting the American Heart Association, a park cleanup project and a character walk. To integrate family involvement into its programs, Beasley Elementary hosted a Family Fun and Fitness Night this year, along with a Family Valentine Dance. Students and their families also participated in a Skate Night sponsored by the Student Council and the Read, Right, Run Program.

Beasley Elementary will receive a banner highlighting its designation as a Character Fitness Model School, tickets to a 2012 Rams game and an invitation to co-present at the fall 2012 launch of Character Fitness. In addition, Beasley’s program ideas will be used to help other local schools become Character Fitness Model Schools.

The Character Fitness Model Schools program recognizes schools that have effectively implemented character fitness by combining health, nutrition, character development and physical exercise throughout the school year in a way that engages students, staff and the school community. Through their participation in character fitness, model schools reported significant increases in participation among the student body, individual activity levels, fitness scores, nutritional awareness, goal-setting, staff exercise and community involvement.

The St. Louis Rams and CHARACTERplus partnered to create the Character Fitness Model Schools program in 2010, recognizing the connection between the principles of character education and fitness. The program offers the opportunity to benefit students and schools alike in a joint effort to create foundations for a healthy life.

Antonia Middle School in the Fox C-6 School District, Discovery Ridge Elementary in the Wentzville R-IV School District and Francis Howell Middle in the Francis Howell School District also were named Character Fitness Model Schools this year.