How Teachers Can Build Student Success Habits with Mileage Club®, EZ Scan®, and Toe Tokens®

Every teacher dreams of inspiring their students - of seeing them return years later to say, "You made a difference in my life." But for many educators, day-to-day challenges like low engagement, inconsistent participation, and waning motivation can make that dream feel far away.

The good news? You can help students rediscover their excitement for learning by building simple, positive habits that lead to lifelong success. Programs like Mileage Club, EZ Scan, and Toe Tokens make that process not only achievable - but fun!

Why Student Habits Matter More Than Ever

Research shows that successful students often share a few core habits:

• They exercise regularly
• They show up and stay consistent
• They make healthy choices
• They read and pursue personal goals

When teachers intentionally build these behaviors into the classroom routine, students thrive - both academically and emotionally.

Fitness Finders programs are designed to help schools nurture these "success habits" through goal-setting, recognition, and movement-based motivation.

How Positive Reinforcement Creates Lifelong Habits

Building strong habits starts with a clear goal, a consistent cue, and a meaningful reward - a concept popularized by Charles Duhigg (The Power of Habit, 2012) and James Clear (Atomic Habits, 2018). 

This approach works beautifully in classrooms because it helps students connect daily actions with positive results. When teachers combine structure and celebration, the results can be transformative.

That’s why we created the #1 selling award for run clubs, Toe Tokens® – colorful, plastic feet that kids love to collect. Kids run miles and love it, so they can get a Toe Token.

Due to the success of Mileage Club, and because of requests from teachers, we quickly followed up with awards for reading, attendance, and nutrition, which is also helping kids reach their goals.

The Fitness Finder Formula: Mileage Club, EZ Scan, & Toe Tokens

At Fitness Finders, we've seen this formula succeed for decades - from physical activity to reading and attendance programs. Here's how to make it work in your school.

1. Set the Goal

Help students focus on one key area of improvement.

Example: "My students will exercise more to increase learning readiness and improve mood."

When you establish this as a classroom or school-wide focus, students start associating physical activity with academic success.

2. Plan the Activity

Create a running or walking program using Mileage Club - an easy-to-implement system where every student can participate at their own pace. 

Example:

• Create a quarter-mile track around the playground.
• Schedule two weekly Mileage Club days during recess, with an optional Friday bonus day.
• Give students 20 minutes to walk, jog, or run while having fun and listening to music. 

3. Cue the Habit

Use the recess bell or a consistent time of day to signal "it's time for Mileage Club." Consistency helps turn participation into habit.

Students move around the track, track their laps with EZ Scan, and celebrate every milestone. Every 5 miles (20 laps), students earn a Toe Token - a colorful, collectible charm they wear proudly on a lanyard.

4. Measure Progress

EZ Scan makes tracking simple and automatic. Teachers can instantly see student mileage, participation, and growth over time - no manual counting or guessing needed.

This data can also be used for grading, progress reports, and motivational displays that celebrate student effort.

5. Celebrate the Wins

Every Friday, hold a short awards celebration. Students who earn new Toe Tokens receive them during lunch or recess, reinforcing their progress and keeping motivation high.

These celebrations don't just reward physical activity - they build community, confidence, and joy.

The Result: Students Who Build Success Habits for Life

This goal-and-reward system has been proven to help students create the very habits that make them successful - not just in school, but throughout life.

When you implement Mileage Club, EZ Scan, and Toe Tokens, you're doing more than promoting fitness. You're:

• Boosting classroom focus and behavior
• Encouraging perseverance and self-discipline
• Building a culture of achievement and positivity

As one teacher told us, "Mileage Club doesn't just get kids moving - it gets them believing in themselves."

Get Started Today

This goal/reward method has worked for decades across the country for run clubs, as well as reading plans, and behavior programs. Such programs are easy to create and implement. And, they help students create those necessary “successful habits.”

Stop being frustrated with your current efforts and start making a massive difference in your students' lives - just like you dreamed about in college - with Mileage Club, EZ Scan, and Toe Tokens! Fitness Finders has decades of experience to help you begin today.

References:

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg from 2012

Atomic Habits by James Clear from 2018

Meeting SHAPE Distance Learning Guidelines

We have selected a handful of action points from the SHAPE Distance Learning Guidelines on the left and show how Fitness Finders can help you meet them on the right.

Curriculum

“Continually assess and revise online courses to keep up with trends, technology, and content.”

Fitness Finders does this for you! Our EZ Scan® app automatically updates at no extra cost and works with the latest devices. Content changes are based on current trends in physical education and feedback from users in all 50 states.

“Address all state and/or national physical education content standards, including any other required standards (Common Core, ELA, Technology, etc.).”

Getting the recommended 60 minutes of activity a day is no problem with Mileage Club®. Mileage Club works before, during, or after school. It can be done outdoors, indoors, and even at home. And it’s an easy, low-cost way to get and keep kids moving. Mileage Club is flexible, accommodates all students, and kids love the rewards. It is the best way to meet multiple state and national standards for physical activity.

Learning Environment

“Get parents involved with their child’s learning.”	Parents can be involved in Mileage Club in many ways! From simple encouragement as children reach their goals to walking laps with them. Parents can be there for their kids every step of the way! With EZ Scan, teachers can share their child’s individual reports with parents to keep them up-to-date on progress. For greater involvement, teachers can send the EZ Scan Activity Recording Sheet & Instruction or a QR Card with instructions home to parents.
“Allow for student choice so students can choose where, when, and how to be physically active.”	Flexibility is a critical component of Mileage Club® and EZ Scan®. Complete laps any time of day - anywhere! Set a course anywhere you’d like and record laps, reps, and minutes of activity – anyway, they can be done! A great resource we offer is our EZ Scan Activity Recording Sheet & Instruction has the equivalency chart with the purpose of allowing the choice of exercise by converting any activity to minutes of walking/running. Available online or by mail.
“Balance screen time and physical activity time.”	With EZ Scan®, you can access reports that give time stamps and quickly let you see the amount of time spent walking/running!

Assessment

“Utilize technology to verify participation and support learning gains in physical activity to meet the CDC physical activity recommendations of 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous physical activity per day.”

As mentioned before - EZ Scan® will do this job for you! Just have the students scan their laps or minutes of activity. You’ll be able to generate reports with all of the information needed to know if students are getting their 60 minutes of exercise per day.

Standards-Based Instruction

“Students compare and contrast data collected (e.g., heart rate, video of the performance) against criteria and/or previous analyses.”	EZ Scan reports can be generated in any time frame that you’d like. So, comparing results from day-to-day or week-to-week will be a breeze. As an account administrator, you will just need to send them the data, such as the individual student report and timed run reports. Both of these would allow students to compare and contrast their progress over time.
“Students generate data (e.g., heart rate, number of sit-ups, etc.) by performing health-related physical fitness assessments.”	Let EZ Scan make your timed run very EZ. Students simply scan a QR card with each completed lap. The report details the # of laps, total time, and splits for each student.
“Students choose, present and/or discuss relevant assessments to measure a physical fitness component (e.g., muscular strength, agility, coordination)”	EZ Scan reports provide relevant metrics related to distance and frequency as well as progress overtime. Also, equivalencies give a great framework for time-based, calorie-based, and distance-based comparisons.

More Takeaways!

“One of the four essential components of physical education is assessment — the gathering of evidence about student achievement in all areas of instruction to make inferences about student progress.”	An assessment has never been such a quick task! The reports generated from an EZ Scan account can give you all the data you need to present to students, parents, and administration showing off how much they have accomplished in your run club in a given timeframe. One great example is the Timed Run reports.
“Activity tracker - Activity trackers are wearable devices or computer applications that record daily physical activity along with other data relating to fitness or health, such as heart rate, the number of steps taken, or even calories burned.”	EZ Scan is the #1 lap tracking software on the market. Not to mention it is affordable – only $149.95/year and handles up to 1,500 students! Plus, if you ever need help, we offer free tech support Mon-Fri during our office hours.
“Verification of learning is perhaps one of the teachers’ biggest concerns with OLPE (Daum & Buscher, 2012; Trent 2016), while students struggle with the meaningfulness and challenge of assignments. Creators of online courses need to pay special attention to meaningful assessments that challenge students in real-world contexts.”	Verify that your students are learning by allowing them to complete the same exercises at school as they will at home. This can quickly be done with Mileage Club and equivalencies because, as we’ve mentioned, they can be completed anytime, anywhere, to give your students real-world context through independent work! When you choose to start a Mileage Club, it will be the last curriculum choice you have to make for incorporating structured physical activity. Mileage Club is so simple that you will only need to teach the lesson once. After that, students know to get their QR Scan card and scan as they complete laps to earn their awards. No more worrying about coming up with new lesson plans on the fly.
“All students must be afforded the same opportunities to participate in public school programs. The students must be provided accommodations and modifications as necessary, based on the individualized education program (IEP) team decisions.”	Mileage Club can be done by anyone, anywhere, any time of the day and our equivalencies make this even more true as they can turn any activity into minutes walked/ran, such as pushups if they are unable to go outside. You can accommodate all interests and abilities.
“Teachers must make more of a concerted effort to connect when in a distance learning environment. Students need to feel like part of their school community and that they are cared for to learn. Develop strategies to connect with students if your school/ district will not be facilitating online learning or if students will not be able to meet online due to limited accessibility at home (e.g., create assignments focused on getting to know each other, facilitate pen pals).”	Connect with students by achieving personal and group goals together! Start a Mileage Club program and keep track of their awards and data with EZ Scan. You can do this for one school, or connect your entire district! Plus, they will be able to participate in the same program from home or at school. When they have reached their goals, be sure to give them a physical reminder of their success, such as a Toe Token and a necklace to display it on.

Bonus Thoughts from Fitness Finders

“Do an inventory of your current curriculum and determine which lessons or activities can be repurposed as at-home work or for online use (depending on students’ access to technology). There may be lessons or activities within your current curriculum that can easily be adapted for students to complete at home or online.”	Mileage Club seamlessly adapts to a home learning setting. With EZ Scan, you just make sure your students have their QR card and can log in, and they can get moving. Parents are also able to help out by becoming scanners and supervisors. As an administrator, you can securely give parents access to EZ Scan to allow students to use the same software to complete laps like they would at school.
“Make sure expectations are realistic for students, especially for younger students if they require assistance from an adult to complete assignments. Consider the home dynamics of your students as referenced earlier in the section on Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility.”	Setting realistic expectations to be met from home can be a tough job. However, EZ Scan and Mileage club make this easy! Mileage Club can be done by anyone at any time. If they’re unable to complete laps, just have them use the equivalency chart. If they can complete laps, have them use EZ Scan to record their data. If they can’t use EZ Scan, just have them send you a recording sheet that you can manually enter into the system. Because EZ Scan is so simple and because we have you covered for all situations, you can expect all of your students to get the proper amount of activity at home without making it unrealistic.
“Can special events or activities still be done remotely (e.g., At-Home Family Field Day)?”	Mileage Club creates consistency because it can be done both at school and at home. So, if the time comes where you have a shift to online learning, your curriculum is already setup, and the students know exactly what to do! The program can be done at the same time each day, and completing laps for mileage is a consistent activity by nature as each can be done the same way each time. Special events and activities can still be done at home, just like at school. Host field days, award days, jog-a-thons, or even just daily sessions remotely with ease. This allows you to maintain critical ESL components of teaching and will give your students structured activities that can be done when they are away from school. This is also true even if some students are learning from home while some are in class.

Mileage Club: Kilometre Club Spotlight

Mileage Club® is the #1 Run Club for kids in North America. But have you ever wondered how our Canadian neighbors, who use the metric system, run a Mileage Club? We talked to Claudine Lukawesky in Toronto, Ontario who was happy to share information about her school’s Kilometer Club (KC)!




"Kilometer Club was started at our school, Northlea EMS, approximately 10 years ago! It started as a pre-practice to help students prepare for Track & Field tryouts but quickly became a Club for any child. Our school has approximately 800 students from Junior Kindergarten through Grade 8. It is French Immersion, English, and Developmentally Delayed tracked."




"KC is run solely with parent and student volunteers, although we have staff members present for liability reasons. We only purchase our goods through Fitness Finders® due to safety reasons – we like that you make your products with no lead in the chains or plastic charms and that you now offer the safe LaceLink™ Lanyards."




"We always start KC on a Wednesday so we can make reminder announcements on Monday and Tuesday. (Many people would forget if we started on a Monday. 😊) KC “runs” for 13 mornings from 8-8:30, always ending on a Friday."




"Students are encouraged to run, walk, hop – we’ve even had kids in wheelchairs being pushed – around our 200-meter track. Every time they go around the track, they receive a popsicle stick. When I ring my cowbell at 8:30, students finish the lap they’re on and head to the “Attendance Table” where we record their number of sticks under their classroom teacher’s name. We do this for two reasons: to track the number of kilometers and to track KC attendance. At the end of the 13 days, the class with the most attendance wins a pizza lunch!"




"After the Attendance Table, students head over to the “Charm Table,” and pick out one charm for their bracelet. It doesn’t matter how many laps they’ve completed, all the children receive one charm per day of participation. This is done because we want ALL kids to participate and feel equal. Not everyone is an elite athlete, but at Kilometer Club you are treated like an athlete! We are just so proud of the effort from all the kids and want to focus on that instead of making it all about competition. Although, we do still encourage competition within yourself – and to get your class to participate to win the pizza lunch!"




"I have had so many parents thank me because of how our program has made their child feel included. Knowing that one charm is given out per day of participation, and not by number of laps, makes children feel so special that they are happy to come out for exercise. We have had kids with anxiety issues, and doing Kilometer Club before school helps them feel more relaxed. Children with ADD/ADHD burn off some extra energy so they can focus better in class."




"I'm going into my 10th year of Kilometer Club, and each year it is an honor to have kids in the neighborhood see me and come thank me for doing this program that they look forward to every year! The benefits of KC are that children are encouraging one another to participate; they are completing laps with friends; and, the older grades get to do a lot of the organizing and help out with the younger grades. Thanks to Fitness Finders for making safe products that encourage children to be active and do something!!"

Customer Profile - Betty Kern: Physical Education Teacher

Fitness Finders® Customer Profile: 

- Betty Kern, MS, CSCS

Ohio Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year, 2017

"I teach Physical Education to 4th - 6th graders at 

Schrop Intermediate School in the Springfield Local School District just south of Akron, Ohio." 

What's Been a Highlight of Your Teaching Career?

"A highlight of my teaching career came just recently after being awarded the Ohio Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year.  My school had a surprise assembly for me. They decorated the gym with running shoes that the students had colored and written messages on.  In addition, our custodian made me a larger-than-life running woman for the gym.  Every student in the school also wrote me a letter...all 570 of them! These letters are so touching and demonstrate to me that the students learn and absorb so much more than I'd ever imagined.  At the assembly, 28 students read aloud their letters to me in front of the whole school. It was an amazing, moving moment and one that I will never forget!"

What's Your Favorite Teaching Tip?

"My favorite teaching tip is to remember that what you are teaching your students today could be brand new to them! It might be the first time they have ever experienced that topic, skill, activity, etc. Remember how hard it is to learn something new. Teach it to them as if they have never seen it before. Be patient and be willing to slow down and make sure everyone understands. The extra time will pay huge dividends!"

How Do You Use Fitness Finders® Products?

"Fitness Finders® Awards are used in our Running Clubs throughout the year. Students earn a Sneaker for every 50 points they earn and every 5 miles they run during a running club season. Each week students look forward to receiving their awards! Many students ask to run extra laps to earn extra points so ultimately they can earn extra Sneaker Awards!

The 1st, 2nd, & 3rd charms are also used for grade awards at the club races. Fitness Finders® Awards are also used at our "all school" races held during the school day. If a student improves his/her mile time, then an award is given. 

For example, Turkey Awards are used for the Turkey Trot, Snowflake Awards for the Winter Fun Run, etc. One child last year said that was the first award he'd ever earned in school! He was so excited!  

Fitness Finders® Walker Awards are used in Morning Walking Club when students reach various mile levels.  

Lastly, we use the EZ Scan® App for our walking club and for our upcoming Mile Tracker Challenge."

Fitness Finders® appreciates Betty Kern's support and commitment to excellence.

How Mileage Club® Helped Two Brothers Overcome Physical Challenges and Discover a Love for Running

Spencer and Eli Pardee, two adopted brothers from Guatemala, now living in Michigan, have an inspiring story of resilience, growth, and movement. Both boys were adopted at 8 months old and faced significant physical challenges early in life - but through encouragement, structured physical activity, and Mileage Club, they discovered their strength and confidence.

From Early Challenges to Early Intervention

Spencer (now 20) and Eli's (now 18) mother, Dr. Terri Pardee, a Professor of Psychology at Spring Arbor University, has long studied childhood development, including topics such as high-function autism, trauma effects on children, and physiological psychology. 

She explains that the brain stem develops from the bottom up, and when children lack progressive physical activity, their gross motor skills - and even cognitive and emotional growth - can be delayed. Many adopted children face these challenges due to limited early physical development opportunities, such as being swaddled for extended periods. Swaddling babies, which is a common practice in third-world countries because of environmental health concerns, can limit opportunities to strengthen core muscles.

Recognizing these risks, Terri enrolled her sons in the Jackson County ISD Lyle A. Torrant Center's Early Childhood Program, where they received speech, occupational, and physical therapy. This provided essential early support - but the breakthrough came later, through physical education and Mileage Club.  

The Role of Physical Education and Mileage Club

As a first grader, Spencer struggled with weak core muscles and was unable to lie on his back and roll to his stomach. He also dealt with twisted tibias, which resulted in him being extremely pigeon-toed. He wore leg braces as a young child and often tripped when he walked.

When Spencer met Debbie Drake, a long-time Physical Education teacher at Jackson Christian Elementary School for 17 years, and a core member of the Fitness Finders team since 1977. Debbie helped develop the Mileage Club program alongside company founders Dr. Charles and Beth Kuntzleman.

Terri recalls telling Debbie:

"My son has pretty significant gross motor delays. Spencer may not be able to run."

Debbie responded without hesitation:

"We can work with him."

Through consistent encouragement and Mileage Club participation, Terri noticed Spencer began building strength and coordination. What once seemed impossible - rolling over, running, even balancing - became achievable milestones. By fifth grade, Spencer was thriving; he was running comfortably, earned awards in his PE class for push-ups, and placed in the top 10 for physical fitness in his class. 

Finding Joy and Confidence in Running

The Pardees offered Spencer a variety of opportunities to be active. They enrolled him in traditional sports like baseball and soccer, but they weren't the right fit for him due to sensory challenges and a reserved personality. Mileage Club provided an inclusive and motivating environment where he could move at his own pace and experience success. He could practice running to improve his performance, meet goals, and have fun!

“The kids had a ball with Mileage Club®,” Terri told us in our interview.

In middle school, Spencer was part of his school's cross-country team - a milestone that once seemed unimaginable. When his mom nervously asked if he was ready for his first meet, he confidently replied:

“Oh, yeah. We ran that far at lunch every day for Mileage Club®.”

A Family Journey of Growth

Spencer’s younger brother Eli faced many of the same physical challenges, compounded by medications that can affect metabolism. He, too, found joy and purpose in running. Eli has completed two 5K races and is proud of his accomplishments - proof that perseverance and support can go a long way.

Dr. Pardee credits Mileage Club and a quality PE program for her sons' long-term physical and emotional growth.

“Running has made the boys physically healthier, provided them an outlet for stress, and has taught them fitness skills that they will be able to use throughout their entire lives.” 

- Terri Pardee

The Power of Movement with Mileage Club

Stories like Spencer and Eli's highlight the deep connection between physical activity, brain development, and lifelong well-being. Mileage Club helps children of all abilities experience success, build confidence, and develop a lifelong love of movement.

If you're ready to help your students discover their own potential, visit Fitnessfinders.net or call 800-789-9255 to learn how Mileage Club can transform your school's fitness program.

How to Plan a School Fun Run That Builds Community, Raises Funds, and Inspires Active Students

Why Organize a School Fun Run?

A school Fun Run is one of the most engaging ways to boost spirit, promote physical activity, and bring students, teachers, and families together. These events can also double as effective school fundraisers, encouraging teamwork and healthy habits in one exciting day. 

Fun Runs are completely customizable to fit your school's goals. You can host a short one-mile walk/run or a more competitive 5K-style event.

Participants can walk, jog, skip, or even grapevine to the finish line - creativity is encouraged! Many schools now add themes like color runs, superhero days, or glow-in-the-dark nights to make the event even more memorable. 

Real-World Examples: Tradition Meets Excitement 

Webster Central School District in Webster, NY, has been hosting an annual Fun Run for more than 50 years. According to Democrat and Chronicle (part of the USA Today Network), this tradition, has become a rite of passage for Webster students.

 
Kevin Sayers, a physical education teacher at Plank Road North Elementary, has coordinated the event for the past decade. The mile run kick-starts the academic year by bringing 700 students together. He says,

“The idea is to encourage children to be active, learn how to be a competitor and a spectator, and to encourage good sportsmanship, empathy, and camaraderie among students.”

Similarly, another veteran of Fun Runs, Stacey Brickman from West Bloomfield Hills, MI has helped organize multiple elementary and middle school Fun Runs.

“A successful fun run accomplishes all the things a PTO tries to create all year. It builds school spirit, increases participation, raises school pride, and is a fabulous, fun whole-school event. We would have a fun run even if it didn’t raise money because it is a blast!”

Get Started With a Fitness Finders Challenge Series Fun Run?

If you're ready to bring this kind of excitement to your school, the Fitness Finders Challenge Series® makes it simple with easy-to-implement fun-run templates and awards.

The Challenge Series is a flexible running/walking program that combines imaginative monthly themes, awards, and community fun. The Series may be conducted as often as once a month, for nine months, just once a year, or any number in between. Schools can host challenges:

• During PE class or recess
• As an after-school Fun Run open to families
• As a fundraising event tied to seasonal celebrations

The challenges permit young people to participate in a half to one-mile run/walk or, on occasion, longer distances. Each Challenge Series event focuses on participation and completion rather than competition - so everyone's a winner! 

Students receive a themed award after finishing the distance, such as:

• 🍀 March Shamrock Shuffle → Shamrock award

• 🎃 October Pumpkin Run → Pumpkin award

• 🦃 November Turkey Trot → Turkey award

• ❄️ Winter Race with the Sled Dogs Challenge → Sled Dog Bundle

These tangible incentives keep students motivated and engaged month after month.

Turning Fun Runs Into Fundraisers

Want your event to also raise funds? Here's how to combine fitness and fundraising powerfully:

• Kick-off & wrap-up runs: Host a Fall Fun Run fundraiser in September/October and a Year-End Celebration Run in May.
• Charge a small registration fee or ask for pledges per lap or mile.
• Add a school carnival, food stands, or spirit-wear booths for extra revenue.
• Promote your event through school newsletters, social media, and community flyers.

These Fun Runs could be opened to the public, and we recommend charging a moderate registration fee. Make sure you advertise these events as fundraisers. Be transparent about where funds go - for example, "All proceeds help fund new PE equipment or students' wellness programs." When families know the purpose, excitement grows!

The Challenge Series is a powerful, event-driven activity that encourages young people to set a goal of walking/running a specified distance. 

Pro Tips for Planning a Successful School Fun Run

1. Set Clear Goals. Decide whether the focus is participation, fundraising, or community connection.
2. Pick a Theme. Holiday-themed, seasonal, or costume runs add instant fun and photo opportunities.
3. Involve Everyone. Invite parents, teachers, and even local businesses to participate or sponsor the event.
4. Promote Widely. Use social media, newsletters, and bulletin boards to build anticipation.
5. Celebrate Success. Recognize top participants, thank volunteers, and share photos in your next school assembly or email blast.

Why Schools Love the Challenge Series

• The Challenge Series helps teachers and PE coordinators:
• Encourage lifelong fitness habits
• Promote inclusivity and teamwork
• Simplify event setup with ready-made themes and awards
• Keep students active all year long

We would love to answer any questions you might have regarding Challenge Series® fun runs and pricing. Please don’t hesitate to call 800-789-9255 or email richf@fitnessfinders.net for more information. 

About Fitness Finders

Fitness Finders, Inc. is committed to Shaping America's Future® by providing effective motivational programs and awards designed to develop the body, mind, and character of youth. We strive to provide practical and innovative solutions for physical educators, teachers, and youth leaders.