WCS Receives K21 Grant for $18KWarsaw Community Schools announced a recent grant award of $18,273.
Through this grant provided by the K21 Health Foundation, WCS middle school physical education students will learn how physical activity impacts their health, and enjoy an innovative opportunity to stay active and healthy, according to a news release from WCS.
Each middle school P.E. classroom at Edgewood and Lakeview will receive a class set of Polar E-Unite heart rate monitors.
Health experts state that education providers have significant opportunities to establish healthy activity habits in children. This is important because habits formed early in life can track into adulthood, the news release states. In addition, they state that “healthy lifestyle habits, including healthy eating and physical activity, can lower the risk of becoming obese. Schools play a particularly critical role by establishing a safe and supportive environment that supports healthy behaviors. Schools also provide opportunities for students to learn about and practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviors.”
In a world where obesity and sedentary lifestyles are on the rise, the physical education classes at WCS are attempting to break this cycle, the release states. WCS’s vision is to continue increasing student wellness, along with their physical activity, in a fun and non-threatening way that will promote sustainable change and promote healthy living. The heart rate monitors will facilitate the continuous, active involvement of the students and increase the amount of time that students are being active in the P.E. classes.
Through the integration of the heart rate monitors, WCS will be more effective in teaching students the importance of being active and making healthy versus unhealthy choices, according to the release.
Incorporating the heart rate monitor technology into P.E. class will give students immediate feedback on their fitness levels and activity intensity. The P.E. teachers are excited to have authentic conversations with seventh- and eighth-grade students as they hypothesize how changes in exercise intensity will boost their overall wellness, according to the release.
As part of a two-year pilot, K21 Health Foundation had previously provided a grant for fifth- and sixth-graders with fitness tracking devices; these devices have allowed students to start having critical conversations about their physical activity.
“WCS is excited to continue this momentum in middle school with a new method of teaching about and promoting healthy living and physical activity,” said WCS Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert. “We are thankful to K21 and their continued support in creating a healthy community.”
