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The Lee County School District’s physical education program just got fatter.

Flush with cash from a new three-year, $500,000 federal grant, the district plans to improve all of its students’ physical health and wellness education through a variety of approaches.

Among them are computer programs that track the student’s physical progress and traverse walls that build upper body strength.

“Every school, every teacher is going to be impacted by this grant,” said Patti Elkin, physical education coordinator for the district. “That’s something we would not be able to afford or do at the district level if it weren’t for the grant.”

The grant also allows for the creation of a new district employee responsible for helping physical education and health instructors at all grade levels.

The new position comes at a time when the district has cut nearly 200 positions due to decreased funding from the state.

Elkin said she has received numerous applicants for the job.

“Over 20 people have applied. They have to be certified in physical education or health and have some teaching experience,” Elkin said. “We really have a rich applicant pool.”

The grant also comes at a time when state lawmakers are focused on improving the amount of time students spend getting exercise at school.

The Don Davis Physical Education Act, signed into law by Gov. Charlie Crist last month, requires elementary and middle schools to offer students 30 minutes of daily physical activity.

When told about the new grant, Three Oaks Elementary fourth-grader Tommy Cullinan, 9, said he isn’t a huge fan of working out.

“I don’t think it makes much of a change,” he said. “Only if you do it for a long time.”

Elkin said a software program provided through the grant will target just those ideas that Tommy expressed.

Known as Fitness Gram, it has students complete physical activities such as pull-ups and sit-ups and tracks their progress throughout the year. Tommy’s progress will be staring him in the face.

“I think we all need that awareness all the time,” Tommy’s mom, Trish Cullinan, 46, said.

At Bonita Springs Middle School, Physical Education instructor Gregg Cross said the software is great, but he cautions against spending too much time in front of a computer.

“Our goal is to make sure the kids don’t sit still for 40 minutes,” Cross said. “As long as they are moving, they are getting more exercise than at home.”

Cross hopes physical education will one day be tested, and progress marked statewide, in a system similar to the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

Bonita Middle is ahead of the grant’s proposals. It already has a traverse wall like the ones the district hopes to bring to six new middle schools. The walls themselves are still in the planning stages, Elkin said, but are expected to target specific muscle groups.

“I’m not even sure what they’re going to be. Right now I’m just getting proposals,” Elkin said. “We’ve noticed upper arm and upper body strength is very low for our students. Here’s how we’re going to increase our goals.”

Nine-year-old Jasmin Hernandez Du Bois, however, is more into the treadmill and jumping jacks. But overall, she said physical education is enjoyable.

“It gets your body in shape and it’s fun,” said Jasmin, who will be in fourth grade.

The district plans to work with the Dairy Council of Florida to help improve its students’ health awareness, and hopes to continue the programs instituted by the grant long after its budget loses weight.