Significance: Policy makers within school systems must often make a decision to omit health education and/or physical activity from the curriculum because it does not “enhance academic achievement.” Understanding better the relationship between youth risk behaviors and academic achievement will assist educators and policy makers in advocating for coordinated school health programs.Design: The Pinellas County (FL) Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) is a school-based anonymous classroom survey of risk behaviors self-reported by a convenience sample of middle school students (grades 6 and 8). The modified YRBS with additional questions asking students to report their grades in math, writing and reading was conducted in spring 2001.Results: 3,497 sixth and eighth grade students completed the Pinellas County Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). The majority (65.1%) of students were between 13-and 14-years-of age. The sample consisted of 47.5% females and 52.5% males. The ethnic composition of the sample was 68.6% White, 18.2% Black or African-American, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino, 3.6% Asian, 2.3%, American Indian or Alaskan native and .7% native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. The majority (53.1%) of students report receiving grades of mostly A's to mostly A's and B's on their math assignments, followed by 28.2% of students who get mostly B's and mostly B's and C's. Approximately 7.6% of students report receiving D's and F's on their math assignments. The majority of students within each of the ethnic/racial identification groups describe their math grades as mostly A's and B's followed by mostly B's and C's. Chi square analyses were performed to determine the relationship between reported grades in math, reading and writing and select youth risk behaviors. Using a CI of 95%, there are strong relationships between reported grades and specific physical activity and body weight variables. Overall 85% of students report participating in strenuous physical activity that made them sweat or breathe hard on at least one of the past 7 days. Overall, 32.5% of the students report exercising at least 20 minutes between 3 and 5 days during the past week. Students who reported strenuous activity between 3 and 5 days a week also reported better grades in math (X2=45.51, df=9, p<.000), reading (X2=37.856, df=9, p<.000), and writing (X2=44.867, df=9, p<.000). Did physical activity influence better grades? These data do not fully answer this question; however, they begin assisting teachers and administrators in better understanding the relationship between academic achievement and youth risk behaviors.Keyword(s): middle school issues, physical activity, youth-at-risk