Mt. Blue Middle School student Sarita Crandall testified on physical activity at a legislative hearing. From left are Rep. Lance Harvell; Jessica Lawson, coalition intern; Nicole Ditata, coalition program coordinator; Rep. Jared Crockett; Crandall, seventh-grader; Sen. Walter Gooley; and Rep. Tom Saviello.

7th-grader testifies for physical activity

FARMINGTON – Healthy Community Coalition, the region’s Healthy Maine Partnership, has announced that Sarita Crandall, a seventh-grade student at Mt. Blue Middle School, testified at a legislative hearing on April 30 in the State House.

The bill was LD 1407, an Act to Implement the Recommendations of the PE4ME Planning and Oversight Team. At this time there is no minimum time requirement for physical education in grades kindergarten through eight in Maine schools.

Maine Learning Results requires a basic PE competency, which can be tested without any time spent in class. Nicole Ditata, coalition program coordinator, said it presents a problem as many children are sedentary during and after the school day.

Crandall testified that she believes students should receive 150 minutes a week of physical education in order to help them develop an active and physically fit lifestyle.

Crandall participated in the coalition Youth Summit at Franklin Memorial Hospital in October. She learned about Maine’s legislative process, how to write testimony and the importance of sharing an opinion with others.

Eight people testified in support of LD 1407 and one opposed. A work session has not yet been scheduled for the bill.

The coalition is a Healthy Maine Partnership, an affiliate of the Franklin Community Health Network. Call 779-2932 or toll free at 1-800-525-3136 for more information.