École Deer Meadow students get moving with new fitness room
École Deer Meadow School students are enjoying a new opportunity for wellness at their school. This year the school updated a room in the school, and with the help of community partners, stocked it with equipment turning it into a fitness space.
“It started with a personal training class,” says Jenn Jackson, Vice Principal of Deer Meadow School. “We were busing students to a community facility so they could learn proper technique in a fitness environment. We thought it would be better if we could provide that opportunity within our school.”
The space that was renovated was being used for storage. With the help of a number of community partners* the school was able to update the room and add floor mats and fitness equipment.
Students are able to access the facility when their class visits once a week.
“It's good for students to have a chance to exercise during school. It makes me feel more alive,” says Marysse M., a Grade 6 student.
“It makes me more into my school work,” says Gordon L., a Grade 6 student, “and after I have the energy to do school work.”
Both Marysse and Gordon say they enjoy the friendly competition at the end of the class of students doing pull-ups. “It’s fun because my friends count how many we can do, and how long we each stay up for. The competition is fun.”
Also, once the room opened, the school launched a number of ‘healthy choice’ challenges.
The competitions involve gaining points for individual and class participation in the new fitness room, as well as in their classrooms with movement, healthy food and other good behaviors such as being on time and avoiding video games during breaks.
The monthly challenges result in a class prize and individual prizes. According to Jackson, the students are enjoying the friendly competition.
“Last month one of the parts of the challenge was avoiding video games on breaks at school,” says Jackson. “It was fun to watch kids encourage each other not to play, so their class results would be better.”
Jackson says as a result of the challenge, students are coming to class on time and attendance has improved.
“It has brought a lot of excitement to our building, and even better it's bringing movement into students’ days. They tell me they feel their muscles working and that’s great,” says Jackson. “We wanted this to be an opportunity that extended beyond students interested in athletics to the entire school population.”
The school has applied for a provincial grant, in the hopes of converting a wall into glass so that light from the gymnasium can brighten the gym space.
*Community partners that contributed to the fitness room include The Community Learning Campus, the Rotary Club, the Kiwanis Club, UFA and Miller Fuels.