Hello, my name is Scott Hollmaier. I am a PE instructor at Viking Middle School in Gurnee, IL. I have been a sponsor of a running group of kids in 6th-8th grades ("Cool Runners").

Each summer we train 3x per week and ready ourselves for an active vacation in Summit County, Colorado. During that week we will hike, bike, run a 5K and climb a 14,000 foot peak.

Although our training is primarily running, our focus is to be conscious of a healthy lifestyle and be active at something.

My students are quite active with sports and other things during the year but I am working on getting them on a steady diet of running year round. Climate in Illinois makes it hard to get out to train safely.

Fundraising that is student-driven gives the students an opportunity to earn money for their trip. The year-long activities and training create an opportunity to grow and learn as individuals and as part of a team. The lessons of a trip to a higher altitude are endless....whether we're talking about performance or social, moral, or ethical topics.

Summit Loop

Please email carol.kids@rodale.com with comments on this article. Scott's email address is hwood4@owc.net.