天美传媒 promotes physical fitness for youth with a one-day competition among students from 15 area high schools.

Winners of the 天美传媒 Most Physically Educated Competition Michaela Zabicki and Malcolm Bell with Adelphi faculty Thomas A. Howard (far left) and Kevin J. Mercier, Ed.D., (far right)
天美传媒鈥檚 Center for Recreation and Sports was a hive of activity on Friday, January 18, 2017, as athletes from 15 high schools across Long Island competed听in the second annual Most Physically Educated Competition organized by Kevin J. Mercier, Ed.D., assistant professor, and Thomas A. Howard, adjunct professor. The goal of the event was to promote the importance of physical fitness to adolescents.
Students went head-to-head in a series of games and endurance tests, including a pacer test, a push up test, a basketball game and a badminton game. They also participated in an essay contest describing why fitness is important to them.
At the end of the four-hour competition, three schools emerged on top. New Hyde Park Memorial High School came in first with the highest score, followed by East Rockaway High School and Valley Stream Central High School.
Awards were also given to individual students.
The winners clearly had a passion for fitness. Overall female winner Michaela Zabicki, a junior at New Hyde Park Memorial High School and a member of the field hockey, track and field and lacrosse teams, said: 鈥淚 feel like if I wasn鈥檛 physically active I would not be able to do much. It makes me feel fresh.鈥
Overall male winner Malcolm Bell, a junior from Baldwin High School who is on the soccer and lacrosse teams, enjoyed the friendly competition. 鈥淚t feels good, and I was happy to represent my school and participate,” Bell said, adding that he especially enjoyed meeting new people. 听
Also at the competition was Adelphi alumna Katie DiLapi 鈥11, M.A. 鈥14, who teaches physical education at Valley Stream North High School to grades seven though twelve. 鈥淚f they get into good habits when they are younger then they will get into good habits when they are older,鈥 DiLapi commented.
2017 Most Physically Educated Contest Winners
Essay
Gabriella Walsh 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 East Rockaway High School
David Manikas 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Valley Stream Central High School
听
PACER Winners
Zhaneia Thybulle听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Elmont Memorial High School
Nick Williams 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Lawrence High School
Andrew Machovek 听 听 听 听 听 听 East Rockaway High School
听
Push Up
Michaela Zabicki 听听听听听听听听听听听听听 New Hyde Park Memorial High School
Nick Lopez 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 New Hyde Park Memorial High School
听
School Champions
1st New Hyde Park Memorial High School听
2nd East Rockaway High School
3rd Valley Stream Central High School
听
Overall Winners
Female
1st Michaela Zabicki听听听听听听听听 New Hyde Park High School
2nd Gabriella Walsh听听听听听听听听听 East Rockaway High School
听
Male
1st Malcolm Bell 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Baldwin High School
2nd Andrew Machovek 听 听 East Rockaway High School
听
听
For further information, please contact:
Todd Wilson
Strategic Communications Director听
p 鈥 516.237.8634
e 鈥 twilson@adelphi.edu