For the past 36 years, Valley View Elementary School has participated in A.C.E.S. – All Children Exercise Simultaneously. ACES was developed at Valley View Elementary School by Len Saunders. Saunders was the Physical Education teacher at Valley View for more than three decades. He created the ACES program to promote physical health and fitness for all students. ACES is held on the first Wednesday of May. Millions of students around the globe participate in ACES each year.
Though PE Teacher Len Saunders has retired, Valley View Elementary School in Montville Township, NJ, continues to participate in what SPORTS ILLUSTRATED once called “The world’s largest exercise class.”
For May 1, 2024, Valley View PE Teacher Crystal O’Rourke coordinated the events and trained Student Leaders, Sophia, Paul, Stella, and Aidan. These fifth grade Student Leaders led the exercise routines for Valley View’s elementary students. Prior to the start of the 34th annual ACES event, Music Teacher Samantha Ivins conducted singers, Cooper, Gianna, Satyana, and Kais, in leading the entire student body in singing the National Anthem.
At the same time that Valley View students were exercising for ACES, students across the nation and around the globe were also exercising simultaneously with them.
ACES is one of several Montville Township Public Schools traditions that encourages students in the community and beyond to incorporate exercise and healthy eating into their daily life choices.
ACES 2024 was filmed by two members of the Valley View A/V team, Zoey and Drea, using STEAM equipment donated by Montville Educational Foundation. Watch the ACES 2024 video on the Montville Township Public Schools YouTube page.