Physical rewards

College Park Elementary in Costa Mesa has plenty to celebrate in its athletics program, and on Wednesday an Olympian came over to show it some recognition.

In addition to showing off his skills on the pommel horse, gold medalist in gymnastics Peter Vidmar also came bearing gifts.

Vidmar showed up Wednesday to hand the school a $5,000 check and $1,000 in gift cards, a reward for the school’s coming in first in Orange County in the 2008 Governor’s Challenge Competition.

It is one of 11 such regional winners in the state.

To win the challenge, the school had to have all 411 of its students successfully exercise for 30 minutes, three days a week, for four weeks.

Even then, there was a tie with other local schools, so an essay sent in by faculty on its athletics programs helped it score the win.

It took the whole community for the school to succeed, Principal John Sanders said.

“I would look out my window in the late afternoon before I was leaving, and I would see parents out on the playground, playing with their kids to try to get their minutes in,” he said.

The school is still deciding where to send the money earmarked for physical education equipment, Sanders said.

“We’re going to put a committee together with teachers and staff members, and make a list of things we would like to buy,” he said. “We’ve got lots of neat equipment and a great, research-based physical education program. There’s lots of good ideas out there.”

Vidmar won a gold medal in the pommel horse and a silver medal in men’s all-around individual gymnastics competition at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

— Michael Alexander