Hance Club Helps Keep Kids Fit

Students and staff members at Hance Elementary School are helping kids keep fit.

 

The Pine-Richland Opportunities Fund granted the school with a $1,000 to implement the Hance Mileage Club.  The Mileage Club is a lunch-hour program for fourth and fifth grade students. Students have the chance to walk on a designated path on the playground several times a week. 

 

Children have been given a pedometer to log their own steps. Teacher Lisa Tiller is coordinating the program with the help of the staff including Technology Resource Teacher Karen Lee, who designed an iron-on for the to-shirts.  

 

School Nurse Terry Wentz said that teachers were very instrumental in getting students to participate. So far 75 percent of fourth and fifth graders at Hance have participated.

 “The children are excited to be involved and the program has been a lot of fun,” Wentz said. “We hope to see measurable results as we continue to expand this program in our commitment to combat childhood obesity.” 

 

This program offers incentive prizes to encourage the students to log miles. It is a tiered reward program with the following rewards:  

• Toe Tokens given for every 5 miles walked, which is 12,500 steps (2500 steps/mile) After walking 10 miles, the student will have 2 Toe Tokens and be given a
  Mileage pencil to encourage them on Each increment of 5 miles earns them another Toe Token
• At 20 miles, the student earns a Hance Mileage Club T-shirt

 Wentz said the program is expected to get back underway this spring.

The purpose of the Pine-Richland Opportunities Fund is to enrich, foster and promote education, to encourage and reward academic excellence and achievement to support unique, creative and innovative instructional and educational programs for students and, to reward, encourage and recognize students, teachers and other staff members of the Pine-Richland School District for distinguished service.

The 2007 PROF Board includes: President Don Foster, Vice President Michael Young, Treasurer Larry Schuster, Secretary Cindy Dillen and trustees Harry Crytzer, Thomas Doaty, Barbara Freitag, Leo Gensante, Liz Gensante, Linda Honeywill, Dan Koller, David Lemley, Kwaj Overton, Janet Rader and Patti Sinetar.