Five Northshore School District fifth-graders earned awards from the 2014 Gear Up and Go! Winter Games held Dec. 20 to Jan. 3.

Super Sqorer awards were given to students from each participating school district that earned the most activity points during Winter Break. Camden Burrows, Arrowhead Elementary School, received first place with 1,894,029 points and Ashley Coyle, Kokanee Elementary School, placed second with 1,800,147 points.

Super Syncer awards were given to students from each participating school district that synced the most number of days during Winter Break. Sydney Pope, Kokanee Elementary School, earned first place; Jenny Zhan, Lockwood Elementary School, placed second; and Hannah Braswell, Crystal Springs Elementary School, placed third.

Gear Up & Go! Winter Games, a component of the Gear Up and Go! initiative, were designed to help promote physical activity over school districts’ winter breaks and encourage students to take advantage of the 51 community SyncStations located throughout Snohomish County. Over 2,350 students and faculty from 15 school districts participated in the 2014 Gear Up and Go! Winter Games. All participating students who used a SyncStation at least once during break received a special game badge for their efforts.

Students from Arrowhead, Canyon Creek, Crystal Springs, East Ridge, Fernwood, Kenmore, Kokanee, Lockwood, Shelton View and Woodmoor elementary schools are participating in this year’s Gear Up & Go! fitness initiative created by the Snohomish County Health Leadership Coalition. Participating fifth-graders received a Sqord PowerPod to wear on their wrists that translates activity into digital points in a friendly social game. Students sync their PowerPods at SyncStations at their schools and throughout the community. Each of the participating schools received a mini iPad to use as the school’s SyncStation.

Gear Up & Go! is an exciting initiative designed to be fun, encourage students to be more active and foster a lifelong commitment to a healthy lifestyle. It utilizes technology to engage fifth-graders and help teachers quickly discover and share best practices throughout the county to improve health.

Gear Up & Go! is funded by Snohomish County Health Coalition members and its founding community partners.