Catalina Franco-Cicero, a physical education teacher who at the time was teaching for Miami-Dade County Public Schools, founded Fitness For Kids in Miami, Florida in 1998. Fitness For Kids was founded as result of the cut backs made to physical education programs for children of all ages. These cutbacks have resulted in increased rates of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and other health related illnesses that can be prevented with a well developed fitness program. As a physical education teacher, she saw the need to bring additional opportunities for children to develop the building blocks for a physically fit lifestyle. Since then, Fitness For Kids has been introduced in several communities and schools in Southwest Dade and Broward Counties with classes and summer camps for children of all ages that include manipulative skills, physical fitness, cooperative activities, sport skills, games, and health and wellness education with the goal to bring FITNESS FOR KIDS…FITNESS FOR LIFE!

Catalina Franco-Cicero currently holds a position as Wellness, Instructional Activities and Recreation Coordinator and Adjunct Professor for the School of Human Performance and Leisure Sciences at Barry University in Miami Shores, FL. She taught physical education at Welleby Elementary in Sunrise, Florida for several years and has been recognized for her achievements in making personal fitness part of every child she teaches. She was nominated as a Health Care Hero in 2006 and her Fitness For Kids program was adopted by the BUCKids Camp at Barry University in 2006. She received the Rookie Physical Education Teacher of the Year Award in 1999 for Miami-Dade County Public Schools; was named by Broward County Schools as the Physical Education Teacher of the Year for 2002; and her program was recognized by the Florida Marlins and the American Heart Association as the Outstanding Elementary Physical Education Program of the Year for 2002. Furthermore, in 2005 she completed her Master’s Degree in Sport Management and is continually expanding Fitness For Kids throughout South Florida.

Mission Statement

The mission of Fitness For Kids is to provide the highest quality exercise programs, with unmatched value, to children of all ages. Because becoming physically educated is a developmental process that beings in early childhood and continues throughout life; the Fitness For Kids program involves the total child and includes physical, mental, social, and emotional growth experiences in a safe learning environment that encourages fitness for life!

Values

Fitness For Kids values and practices the following character traits throughout its curriculum: cooperation, kindness, tolerance, respect, responsibility, honesty, and citizenship. It is with these core values as a foundation that a young person can begin to build a strong character and a healthy body. Thus, Fitness For Kids…Fitness For Life!