Claremont Immersion Elementary Earns 2020 Healthy School Award

ARLINGTON, VA — Claremont Immersion Elementary School in Arlington is one of the five elementary schools in Northern Virginia chosen to received the 2020 Healthy School Award from the Marine Corps Marathon Organization.

To quality for the 2020 Health School Award, students from each of the schools had to participate in the one-mile Marine Corps Marathon Fun Run virtual-only event for children, running with their parents or guardians between Sept. 27 and Nov. 10. Claremont led all of the participating schools with the most students to complete the virtual fun run.

Here are the schools with the most students to participate in MCM Semper Fun Mile:

• Claremont Immersion, Arlington – 202 students
• James K. Polk Elementary, Alexandria – 123 students
• Hampton Oaks Elementary, Stafford – 117 students
• Crossroads Elementary, Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) school aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico – 106 students
• George Mason Elementary, Alexandria – 86 students

“Claremont has participated in the MCM Fun Run for the last 9 years,” said Jason Cash, physical education teacher at Claremont Immersion Elementary School, in a release. “We are particularly proud of our students and parents for going the extra mile during this pandemic and for continuing to put the fun in fitness. I couldn't be more proud of our commitment to this great event.”

Winners of the Healthy School Ward will received a $1,000 from MCM partner Sodexo to go toward the schools' physical education departments. Each student will also receive health snacks.

“It is great to see that even during a global pandemic we have all these kids that want to be healthy,” said John Beck, Sodexo’s general manager of Marine Barracks Washington. “It's important to stay healthy and exercise regularly, but more so during a pandemic.”