Boozman tours PE4Life program
Posted on Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Daily Record photograph by Sarah Nader Congressman John Boozman talked with physical-education teacher Christy Ralph, left, while Principal Marilyn Gilchrist took the congressman on a tour of the PE 4 Life facilities at Old High Middle School in Bentonville on Tuesday afternoon.
BENTONVILLE — As a member of the U. S. Congress, Rep. John Boozman is responsible for helping solve the country’s health-care crisis. One way to do that, he said, is to focus on preventing health problems before they start.
Boozman toured a local school Tuesday that is well on its way to teaching students how to prevent health problems, all while helping other portions of their academic life.
The PE 4 Life program, which is in its first year at Old High Middle School, provides PE class every day for all of the school’s students. They learn means of physical fitness that go beyond just learning about sports. Students are taught about nutrition and calisthenics and are able to use a wide variety of fitness equipment. The fitness equipment includes basic machines and even the Wii Fit program.
Boozman said he had seen the PE 4 Life program when it first started in the Rogers School District, and he wanted to see how it had spread.
“ I think it’s an excellent program, ” he said.
Boozman added that it’s important for policymakers to see good programs firsthand, as it helps them improve their ability to make sound decisions that affect the nation’s children.
Kim Mason, program development advocate for PE 4 Life, agreed. Mason was the physical-education director for Rogers schools until her retirement last school year. She now works for the PE 4 Life organization.
“ We want policymakers to be aware, ” she said.
The PE 4 Life program is widely used throughout the Rogers School District, but Old High Middle School is the pilot school for the program in the Bentonville School District. Old High has about 30 workout stations, and plans call for a few more, to be funded with a $ 140, 000 grant from the Care Foundation.
Research shows that physical activity in students can help their mental capacity, another well-claimed advantage to PE 4 Life. Students learn about their other academic subjects as they exercise. For example, there are math facts on the wall, music is played from their music-class lessons, and they learn about science during various parts of their workouts.
The program has also been credited for helping with scheduling and discipline issues at Old High.
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