At Ponderosa Elementary School in Meridian, walking is a way of life. Every school day students hit the track during recess and walk around. They call it the Pacer Program and students would choose it over a snow day.
"When it rains kids are sad when there is a snow day kids are sad because they want to do pacers," Said P.E Teacher Jennifer Stoor.
The program was started in 2002 by the P.E. Teacher Jennifer Stoor. School leaders say the program makes students not only exercise but builds confidence and it also lets them make new friends, School officials say they put 400 thousand miles on the track.
"Their enthusiasm built this program it wasn't me it wasn't the teacher it was all of us working together,” said Stoor.
But now they have a new track. One school leaders say is safer and better for the students. They raised 36 thousand dollars in under a year. At the dedication ceremony on Friday even alumni of the elementary school gave the new track a shot. Some have gone on to run track in high school and say this program and their P.E. teacher introduced them to the sport.
"The success we've had started with this track and miss. Stoor," said Ponderosa Elementary School Alumni Gavin Pollock.
School officials say in 2015, 75 percent of their students were considered to be at "Grade level or above" in their mile run.
