Sandy Hook Students Walk For Wellness

By Laurie Borst

You cannot turn on the TV or open a newspaper or magazine without encountering new information about the “obesity epidemic” affecting American school children, and their parents. Several schools in Newtown are taking steps to combat that problem.

On September 27, 110 students at Sandy Hook School arrived at school early for the kick-off of Walking Wednesdays, a program in its second year at SHS. Gym teacher Jan Huot and school nurse Sally Cox greeted the children, and a few parents and siblings who came to participate. Mrs Cox was filling in for gym teacher Pam Lupo who was out that day.

Fourth graders Hannah Schneiderman and Samantha Lillis both participated last year. They both enjoyed the experience and were eager to walk again this year. Aileen Decker said, “I need to exercise. This is a good way to do it.”

Third and fourth graders can take part in the program. Students wear pedometers, which count the number of steps they take. Each student records his/her steps, which the fourth graders convert to miles. The miles are then tracked on a map.

Last year, the students followed the Appalachian Trail. This year they will follow the Lewis and Clark Trail from St Louis, Mo., to Fort Clatsop at the mouth of the Columbia River on the Pacific Coast. The program is interdisciplinary, connecting wellness, mathematics, and geography.

The students begin the morning with stretching and warm-up exercises, then walk the perimeter of the playground area for 20 minutes. In case of bad weather, the students will make circuits through the hallways.

Third grader Kira Flynn was walking with her dad, Herb. Mr Flynn said he would be switching off every other week with Kira’s grandmother.

Ellie Nikitchyuk, a third grader, said, “I know it’s good for me [to walk].” She was walking with her mother, Erin, and younger sister, Talie, a first grader.

“Talie was dying to do it, too,” said Mrs Nikitchyuk. “It’s a good way to start the day.”

Middle Gate School was the first Newtown school to begin the morning walking program. The school began its 13th year on September 25. Approximately 100 students, teachers, and staff, and a handful of parents, participate before school on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday each week. Gym teacher Laura Cooper facilitates the program.

Mrs Cooper has determined that by making eight laps around the course, students walk a mile. For each ten miles walked, students receive a small token. When all participants are taken into account, 100–120 miles are walked each day.

Once a month, Mrs Cooper announces how many miles have been walked and where that would take them on the map.

After each walking session, students do push ups and crunches, and cool down with stretching exercises.

“With our annual fitness testing in the spring,” said school nurse Nancy Benzing, “we see the walking students show the greatest levels of improvement.”

Head O’ Meadow School is entering its second season with its Morning Walking Club. It will be starting October 6.

“Last year, 70 students participated,” said school nurse Anne Dalton. “We counted our miles and marked them off on the Appalachian Trail.”

Mrs Dalton also described a new program beginning the year at Head O’ Meadow. A class can sign out pedometers for a day and count all the steps taken during that school day. It will be a cooperative effort between classes in each grade to see who can accumulate the most miles. The school will map the miles to see how far they could go.

Reed Intermediate School is the fourth Newtown school that participates in a walking program. Pat Philipp, school nurse, said Reed students began the program mid-September. Like Middle Gate, they walk Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Students follow a course near the Horse Guard, which makes a mile and a half loop. Extra loops can be walked if participants choose. Some students run rather than walk. In case of bad weather, students walk the hallways. Six laps around the school equals one mile.

The school tracks mileage on a map of North America. Last year, walkers’ mileage took them north from Newtown into Canada. They crossed Canada, traversed the West Coast, and headed east into Texas.

Mrs Philipp pointed out the social aspect of the program. Students have a chance to interact with classmates in an informal setting.

It will be interesting to see where these intrepid walkers can travel by next June when the they wrap up for the year.