Active Living
Activate Your Earth Day
Written by Sarah Balla Do you ever step into nature seeking solitude, only to find a quiet sense of connection to the life all around you? As the wind rustles the leaves, the ants travel across the sidewalk, and the trees stand tall around us, we are reminded that we are never truly alone. We…
Read MoreGrowing Through Girls on the Move
written by Erin Schwab In communities across Canada, girls’ participation in physical activity drops significantly as they get older. According to the Canadian Health Measures Survey (2022–2024), only 37% of girls aged 5 to 11, and just 8% of girls aged 12 to 17 are meeting recommended daily physical activity levels. That reality underscores why…
Read MoreWalking & Wheeling Through Winter
written by Jenn Mireau New data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (2022–2024) shows that many children and youth are still not getting enough daily physical activity. While more than half of children aged 5–11 achieve the recommended 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity, only 21% of youth aged 12–17 meet this benchmark. These findings highlight…
Read MoreActive School Travel: Tools for Change
Why should school communities promote active transportation modes for school travel? Some data to consider: According to the baseline Family Travel Survey collected by Ever Active Schools between 2019 and 2024 in Alberta, 32.8% of families (n=6190 responses) use active modes of transportation most often for trips to school, while 36.7% of families (n=6403 responses)…
Read MoreEarth Day: A Time to Reflect; A Time to Act
Written by Tracey Coutts, Ever Active Schools Welcome Earth Day! “Earth Day is an annual celebration that…raises awareness of the need to protect Earth’s natural resources for future generations.” (National Geographic, Education: Earth Day, 2024). The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970; today, Earth Day is celebrated on either April 22 or…
Read MoreThe 2024 Winter Cycling Congress: What a Ride!
Written by: Tracey Coutts and Katie Mahon, Ever Active Schools Has this ever happened to you… You invite people to your favourite place, maybe it’s a pizza parlour, a place known for its delicious pizza but, just as your guests start to pour through the door, the parlour runs out of cheese. Like, completely.…
Read MoreWHAT DO YOU GET WHEN AN ACTIVE SCHOOL TRAVEL CHAMPION FACES CHALLENGES? REALLY GREAT SOLUTIONS.
Writers: Trevor Henderson, Black Gold School Division Wellness Lead, with support from Tracey Coutts and Shauna Miller-Shaker Ever Active School supports many Active School Travel (AST) projects across the province which boast some pretty amazing outcomes, one of which continues to shine in Leduc, Alberta. In 2020/2021, Black Gold School Division Wellness Lead, Trevor…
Read MoreWINTER CYCLING IN ALBERTA
Winter cycling may seem exotic and strange, but if you’ve ever biked in the warmer weather, or cross-country skied, snowshoed, or even walked outside in the winter, you’re 89.6% prepared to ride your bike in winter! How so, you might ask? Well: You already own the clothing. You know how to dress in layers so you…
Read MorePHYS ED AND WELLNESS LESSON PLANS
Ahh, lesson planning: an all-important yet thankless task for teachers. You spend hours pouring over activities, making sure they connect to the curriculum and your targeted outcomes, and you hope your whole class will be invested and enjoy them. Wouldn’t it be nice if, once in a while, you could take all the time and…
Read MoreBUILDING THE LEDUC ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION CHARTER
The municipality of Leduc, Alta., has laid much groundwork to make it an active living superstar. From its 85 km+ of multi-use pathways, to Telford Lake, to its Parks, Open Spaces, and Trails Master Plan – when it comes to active living, Leduc has some good bones. It is clear that Leduc prioritizes wellness, but…
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