OKEECHOBEE COUNTY, Fla. — Students at Central Elementary School in Okeechobee are participating in the revived Presidential Physical Fitness Test after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reestablish it in schools.
The origins of the Presidential Physical Fitness Test date back to 1958. That's when the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (AAHPER) created the Youth Fitness Project, which introduced the first standardized national fitness test in the U.S.
WATCH BELOW: Trump's executive order brings presidential fitness test back to local schools
The original test consisted of pull-ups for boys and modified pull-ups for girls, sit-ups, a shuttle run, standing long jump, 50-yard dash and softball throw for distance.
In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson established the Presidential Physical Fitness Award Program.
Over the years, the test went through changes before it was essentially retired in 2012 under the administration of President Barack Obama.
Now, a whole new generation is experiencing the revived test for the first time.
According to the White House website, the Presidential Fitness Test provides students with clear, age-appropriate benchmarks that encourage them to build strength, endurance and healthy habits while striving for personal improvement. The standards are based on a combination of historical fitness benchmarks and additional fitness data, creating meaningful goals that are both challenging and achievable.
The White House says two levels of achievement — Presidential and National — recognize students who meet established fitness benchmarks, while all students who complete the test may receive a Certificate of Participation. Together, these recognition levels encourage students to set goals, track progress, and celebrate their accomplishments.
Coach Spearow, a physical education coach at Central Elementary, said the test's return is significant regardless of how people feel about the president who brought it back.
"It is something President Trump, whether you love him or hate him, has brought back," Spearow said.
Spearow also reflected on what the test was like for those who took it in previous generations.
"It was brutal," Spearow said.
He also pointed to a shift in how kids spend their time today compared to previous generations.
"These kids go home and get on their phones, computers, and play video games. They don't get outside and play like our generation did," Spearow said.
The new test format pushes students to develop strength and endurance based on age and gender.
"We can either do pushups or pullups, we can do planks or situps; then the pacer test or the mile run," Spearow said.
Before the test began, students warmed up with stretching, squats, and mountain climbers. Then came push-ups, planks and running — giving mixed reactions from fourth graders.
"It was hard," one student said.
Another fourth-grade student had a different take, flexing his muscles and saying he enjoys the test because he likes to workout, which made the test easy.
Students will test again as the school year continues.
Not every school district in the area is following suit. St. Lucie County Schools said it is not aware of any schools in the district conducting the test. Indian River County Schools had not responded yet.
Palm Beach County Schools provided the statement below on its approach to physical education.
"District-operated schools follow the physical educational standards and benchmarks set forth by the Florida Department of Education. Florida statutes establish physical education time requirements rather than a statewide mandated fitness assessment, leaving specific testing guidelines up to individual school discretion"
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