Governor Schwarzenegger Issues Challenge to All California Schools’ Students
Long before Arnold Schwarzenegger ran for governor of California, physical fitness was at the forefront of his career. He won a succession of bodybuilding titles from 1964 to 1970. He had been named Mr. Germany and Mr. Universe by the age of twenty. Schwarzenegger brought bodybuilding to the national spotlight, when he won the Mr. Olympia title, holding it from 1970-1975 and 1980.
His acting career took off with the successful Conan the Barbarian with Schwarzenegger in the lead and chosen specifically for his perfect physique. In 1997, he was proclaimed the greatest bodybuilder of the 20th century, and the Guiness Book of World Records named him “the most perfectly developed man in the history of the world”.
Among his many business ventures, Schwarzenegger owns World Gym Enterprises and All Star Fitness Products, and is co-responsible for the Arnold Classic Pro Bodybuilding and Fitness shows. Additionally, he headed the Council on Physical Fitness and Sports for former President Bush.
Is it any wonder that, as governor for the state of California, Schwarzenegger wants California schools’ students to exercise more, eat better, and be more physically fit. To that end, he has issued a challenge to all California schools’ students in order promote an increased level of physical activity.
He wants all kindergarten through 12th grade California schools’ students to run, jump and squat for 30-to-60 minutes a day, at least three times a week for the next four weeks. The incentive — the school with the highest percentage of participation at the end of the four-week challenge wins a new fitness center/gymnasium. The next eleven school runner-ups will each receive $1,000 with which to purchase fitness equipment.
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Schwarzenegger’s promotion of healthy California schools’ students doesn’t end there. Two bills have been introduced to improve school nutrition, effective July 2007. One bill requires all foods sold in California schools’ vending machines to meet high nutritional standards, regulating the number of calories for both fat and sugar. The second bill limits the type of drinks sold at California schools to water, milk, and some fruit and sport drinks that are low in sweeteners.
Not only is Schwarzenegger big on physical fitness and its benefits to California schools’ children, who are among the nation’s growing obese statistics, but a statewide review on physical fitness within the California schools was released last November 2006. The findings were atrocious.
The study found that nearly half of the California school’s ninth graders could not briskly run one mile. Almost 1.4 million California school’s students were tested in fifth, seventh and ninth grades. Less than a third met all minimum benchmarks for body fat, abdominal strength, and flexibility.
Governor Schwarzenegger is doing what it takes to help California schools’ students become and stay physically fit. If children do not do it while in school, it can affect their entire adult life with obese-related illnesses and health problems.
Parents, teachers and California schools interested in participating can register online and track their schools’ progress against other California schools at: www.calgovcouncil.org.
Patricia Hawke
http://www.articlesbase.com/k-12-education-articles/governor-schwarzenegger-issues-challenge-to-all-california-schools-students-102397.html
Can someone read a policy i created for an advocacy speech? it regards California and the budget crisis. ?
As many of you know, our budget here in California is minimal. We have had to cut down funding on the most on education with cuts starting at 4.8 billion, a proposed number that is getting worse and worse. class sizes have increased by as much as a third, we’ve lost reading specialists, counselors, class variety, transportation, and programs. Reading specialists are vital for those who need extra help, a school cannot be run well without good councelors, it is very difficult to get to school without the help of buses. Worst of all, many electives have been cut. At my own high school, as well as other high schools here in Bakersfield, our forensics classes were cut, or on the verge of being cut. Other electives like journalism, drama, and yearbook were also being considered to be cut. We cannot go on like this, the future of our country is at stake. We need these preparatory electives to teach us valuable life skills, and to prepare us for the real working world! And although it’s clear there are extraordinary challenges in balancing the state’s budget, I strongly oppose our current budget proposal. It makes no sense that California’s K-12 academic and performance standards are among the most challenging in the nation, yet California spends $1,900 less per student than the national average. New York for example, spends 75% more than us on education. The governor’s budget reductions would be disastrous to public schools and the cuts are inconsistent with the state’s goal of improving student achievement. Laying off our best and brightest young teachers is unforgivable and appalling to me. Increasing class size and further eroding the support system for students and we’ve got some of the most overcrowded classrooms and the greatest shortages of librarians, and support staff in the nation! We the students are the future of America, and therefore education is the last thing we should be cutting! There is nothing more important that education, which makes the current budget absolutely irresponsible and ludicrous.
To solve for this huge issue at hand, I would like to shine light on other issues that can be fixed, and in fixing them, we can solve our education spending problem. The California prison budget. Usually, to come up with money, our government would have to either A: raise taxes, or B: Cut from valuable programs. I don’t wish to raise taxes, they are already high enough! And I don’t want to cut from other programs, that would just mean digging ourselves into an even bigger whole. Instead, i have researched and found a way a better action to advocate: The adjustment of our prison budget to move money to schools so we can get back on track. Currently, California will spend $7.4 billion to build new prison beds, meaning that while our schools are suffering, child molesters, murders, and drug dealers will be enjoying their new beds provided by none other than your tax dollars! “I don’t think it’s a good thing, It’s unfortunate.” End Quote.- Michael Genest, Gov. Schwarzenegger’s finance director. This is completely ridiculous, and it gets worse. While in prison, inmates receive personal attention from guidance counselors intended to teach them to live healthy, productive lives so they can get back on track. But with a whopping 42% of Californian inmates returning to prison various times, it’s quite obvious that this is not working. On the contrary, many of these criminals want to come back. And why wouldn’t they? They receive top of the line health care. “A child molester had cancer in the esophagus and we were ordered by state procedure to transport him all the way to UCLA so he could receive the best care possible.” Paul Holguin, Wasco State Prison. This specific treatment to California’s filth cost us taxpayers 40,000 per visit. Meanwhile, our education system is getting money cut. If we could prioritize the future of California over the scum of California, we would be able to see a much brighter prospect for America. Inmates also receive full dental benefits. They go to the eye doctor, get glasses ect… Basically, anything you get with good health insurance, they get better. Recently, inmates receive physical therapy for injuries not related to prison such as those gotten in high school days like football accidents. Recently, a group of 8 inmates were taken on an overnight stay for “sleep apnia treatment” in a hotel like setting with a nice room, warm comfortable surroundings. In response an inmate was quoted saying the following “This has got to be the nicest place I’ve ever stayed!” Paying for their unearned medical benefits is not the only thing you pay for because for every inmate taken on one of these outings, two officers must be payed overtime if necessary, amounting to an average of 24 dollars per hour. If an inmate puts in a request to see a doctor for any reason, he must be seen within 24 hours, no matter what, whereas law abiding citizens may have to wait weeks to see the doctor. Inmates rece
You have made some good points. But if I may suggest, put your points down one by one instead of mashing them all together. Also use your spell checker or a dictionary.
You might consider using a outline format. In otherwords, this is the problem…then here is an example of the problem…and lastly, here is the solution.
Example:
Title: Budget Crisis Endangers Vital Programs
1. Education cuts
a. Teacher positions being eliminated. (then the what and why)
b. Classes eliminated (then the what and why)
c. Potential solutions (Then state how to fix it)
2. Prison Costs
a. Inmate housing costs
b. Cost of new prisons
c. Potential solutions.
Keep in mind that your solutions must be reasonable and practical. How for example would you treat criminals if not to put them in prisons? Can you come up with a plan to have them work in community service positions or some other means of having control of them so they can’t keep on doing what they were doing.
You are doing an excellent job. Just tweak it a little. Good luck.
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