KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - The King County Physical Activity Coalition is granting five public school physical educators with the 2nd Annual Excellence in Teaching Awards. "It's essential that youth have positive mentors who can contribute to building healthy communities," said King County Executive Ron Sims.

"Physical activity has enormous benefits in terms of disease prevention and healthy living," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health -Seattle & King County. "These excellent physical education instructors must be commended for helping make physical activity an integral part of so many people's lives."

Award winners include:

• Jim McEldowney, Snoqualmie Elementary (Snoqualmie School District)
• Rochelle Wolfe, Chautauqua Elementary (Vashon School District)
• Matt Turner, Showalter Middle School (Tukwila School District)
• Carrie Burr, West Seattle High School (Seattle School District)
• Jesse Jaramillo, Island Park Elementary (Mercer Island School District)

The King County Physical Activity Coalition was convened because of the high rate of sedentary living in King County. Locally, 50% of adults live a sedentary lifestyle. Physical activity decreases the risk of developing many different chronic diseases including diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and certain kinds of cancer.

"We're committed to promoting health across the lifespan, and we must recognize and support all efforts to keep our children active and healthy with physical activities learned in schools and continued through adulthood," said Dr. Cheza Collier, Manager of Public Health's Chronic Disease and Healthy Aging Program.

Physical education teachers were selected from all grade levels and will receive their awards on February 1, 2003 at the West's Best P.E. Conference. The awards package includes a plaque, a gift certificate and a free registration to the West's Best P.E. Conference.

Outstanding nominees who were not chosen this year include Kerry Weisbrod (Seahurst Elementary, Highline School District), Heidi Jacobson-Beal (Beverly Park Elementary, Highline School District), Tracy Krause (Tahoma High School, Tahoma School District), Lynette Martin (Beverly Park Elementary, Lake Washington School District), and Jeff Poppe (Skykomish Jr./Sr. High School, Skykomish School District).

The King County Physical Activity Coalition is staffed by Public Health's Chronic Disease Prevention and Healthy Aging Program. The primary objective of the Coalition is to raise the activity levels of those residents in King County who are currently sedentary or totally inactive. Visit Public Health's physical activity webpages at: www.metrokc.gov/health/exercise

Current Coalition partners include:

Alta Transportation Consulting • American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) • American Heart Association • Bicycle Alliance of Washington • Bike Works · Boeing Employees Health and Fitness Programs • Boys and Girls Club of King County • CASC • Cascade Bicycle Club • Center for Multicultural Health • Central Area Senior Center • CHEF • Community Services Officer Unit • Delridge Neighborhood Service Center • Enumclaw Senior Center • Group Health Center for Health Promotion • Group Health Kaiser Permanente Community Foundation • Highline Community College Senior Center, Highline School District • King County Department of Transportation • King County Park System • Muckleshoot Tribe • Northwest Obesity Prevention Project • Overlake Hospital - Connections Fitness • Public Health - Seattle & King County • REI • Seattle Pacific University • Seattle Parks and Recreation Department • Seattle Public Schools • University of Puget Sound • Senior Services • Snoqualmie Tribe • University of Washington • Valley Medical Center • Washington Recreation and Parks Association • YMCA • YWCA