Fort Buchanan students build fitness and resilience through the Presidential Fitness Test

Official Statements

• U.S. Army Garrison Fort Buchanan, November 12: “FORT BUCHANAN, Puerto Rico — Approximately 100 students at Antilles High School participated in the Presidential Fitness Test on Nov. 10, as Department of War Education Activity (DoWEA) educators assessed physical endurance, strength, and cardiovascular fitness to promote healthy lifestyles and support the well-being of military‑connected students at the Army's home in the Caribbean.”

• U.S. Army Garrison Fort Buchanan, November 12: “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently announced the Presidential Fitness School Innovation Challenge, a competition encouraging schools and youth organizations nationwide to implement the Presidential Fitness Test (PFT). This presidential-level initiative aims to motivate young people to improve their physical fitness, foster positive experiences with physical activity, and build lifelong healthy habits. As part of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition, the PFT reflects a national commitment to strengthening youth wellness - one that resonates strongly within military communities.”

• U.S. Army Garrison Fort Buchanan, November 12: “At Fort Buchanan, the Presidential Fitness Test provides students with clear, age‑appropriate benchmarks that encourage them to build strength, endurance and healthy routines while striving for personal improvement. The assessment, conducted during physical education classes, included sit-ups, planks, push-ups, a 20-meter shuttle run known as the beep test, and a one‑mile run.”

• U.S. Army Garrison Fort Buchanan, November 12: “Maria Torres, an Antilles High School physical education teacher, said students spent the academic quarter preparing for the assessment, which measures their performance against established national fitness standards. “We’ve been practicing for the quarter, and then today is the official test,” Torres said. She emphasized the importance of regular exercise - particularly as young people spend increasing amounts of time using digital technology. “We want to have our students be physically fit and healthy,” Torres said.”

• U.S. Army Garrison Fort Buchanan, November 12: “Beyond measuring physical performance, the program encourages discipline, confidence, and habits that support lifelong health - key qualities that help military‑connected youth remain resilient amid the unique challenges of military life. For ninth grader Solined Aponte, the assessment offered a chance to measure her progress and inspire her classmates. “Today I did better than in the practice test,” Aponte said. “If I can do it, others can do it.”

• U.S. Army Garrison Fort Buchanan, November 12: “Aponte also linked physical fitness with mental well‑being and academic success, noting that staying active helps her feel more focused and balanced. Ninth grader Gustavo Diaz emphasized that physical education keeps students motivated and helps pave the way for future athletic opportunities. “To me it is important to be active because then I will be able to be better prepared to compete for college scholarships,” said Diaz.”

• U.S. Army Garrison Fort Buchanan, November 12: “The initiative reflects a broader national and local commitment to developing healthy, resilient students while reinforcing overall military family readiness. The DoWEA school system at Fort Buchanan provides educational continuity and essential services to military‑connected children, helping families navigate relocations, deployments and changing duty assignments.”

• U.S. Army Garrison Fort Buchanan, November 12: “Fort Buchanan supports approximately 15,000 service members from the active-duty Army, Army Reserve, Puerto Rico National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve and Navy Reserve. As the Army's home in the Caribbean, the installation provides critical services and infrastructure that enable military personnel to train, mobilize and deploy worldwide.”