Students at Rogers Elementary School on Chicago's Northwest Side wrote a letter inviting the governor to visit.
They stressed how much they like a fitness and health education program called "Stretch and Grow."
The governor took part and told students the effort works well with first lady Michelle Obama's campaign to help children lose weight.
"It's a very, very good program that fits right in," said Quinn. "It's what the first lady of the country told all of us that we must reduce youth obesity."
The "Stretch and Grow" program is designed to help children from the ages of 2 to 13 to make fitness a lifelong habit.
