Listen to Amy Nieuwenhuis (Teacher and Mileage Club Leader) tell us about her Mileage Club reaching a huge Milestone.
Pages
Showing posts with label fun runs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fun runs. Show all posts
Thursday, January 28, 2021
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Customer Profile - Betty Kern: Physical Education Teacher
Fitness Finders® Customer Profile:
- Betty Kern, MS, CSCS
Ohio Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year, 2017
"I teach Physical Education to 4th - 6th graders at
Schrop Intermediate School in the Springfield Local School District
just south of Akron, Ohio."
just south of Akron, Ohio."
What's Been a Highlight of Your Teaching Career?
"A highlight of my teaching career came just recently after being awarded the Ohio Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year. My school had a surprise assembly for me. They decorated the gym with running shoes that the students had colored and written messages on. In addition, our custodian made me a larger than life running woman for the gym. Every student in the school also wrote me a letter...all 570 of them! These letters are so touching and demonstrated to me that the students learn and absorb so much more than I'd ever imagined. At the assembly, 28 students read aloud their letters to me in front of the whole school. It was an amazing, moving moment and one that I will never forget!"
What's Your Favorite Teaching Tip?
"My favorite teaching tip is to remember that what you are teaching your students today could be brand new to them! It might be the first time they have ever experienced that topic, skill, activity, etc. Remember how hard it is to learn something new. Teach it to them as if they have never seen it before. Be patient and be willing to slow down and make sure everyone understands. The extra time will pay huge dividends!"
How Do You Use Fitness Finders® Products?
"Fitness Finders® Awards are used in our Running Clubs throughout the year. Students earn a Sneaker for every 50 points they earn and every 5 miles they run during a running club season. Each week students look forward to receiving their awards! Many students ask to run extra laps to earn extra points so ultimately they can earn extra Sneaker Awards!
The 1st, 2nd, & 3rd charms are also used for grade awards at the club races.
Fitness Finders® Awards are also used at our "all school" races held during the school day. If a student improves his/her mile time, then an award is given. For example, Turkey Awards are used for the Turkey Trot, Snowflake Awards for the Winter Fun Run, etc. One child last year said that was the first award he'd ever earned in school! He was so excited!
Fitness Finders® Walker Awards are used in Morning Walking Club when students reach various mile levels.
Friday, October 6, 2017
Build Community with School Fun Runs
Have you considered organizing a Fun Run for your school?
These events build community spirit, enhance physical activity, and can even
serve as school fundraisers.
Fun Runs are completely customizable to fit the needs of
each school. You may choose to limit participation to only students. Or you may
choose to have students, parents, and school faculty lace up their running shoes
together. You can let participants walk, run, jog, or grapevine during Fun Runs
– you’re limited only by imagination! Fun Runs can be themed, competitive 5k
events, or shorter, more collaborative Mile Runs.
Webster Central School District in Webster, NY has been
hosting an annual Fun Run for over 50 years. According to www.democratandchronicle.com, the annual Webster Fun Run has become tradition, as well
as a rite of passage, for the students of their community.
Kevin Sayers, physical education teacher at Plank Road
North Elementary, has coordinated the event for the past decade. The mile run
kick-starts the academic year by bringing 700 students together. “The idea is
to encourage children to be active, how to be a competitor and spectator, and
to encourage good sportsmanship, empathy, and camaraderie among students,”
Sayers said.
According to www.democratandchronicle.com (Part of the USA Today network), “The annual (Webster Fun Run, in Webster, NY),
in its 52nd year, is as much a tradition among Webster Central School District students as it is a rite of passage.
Another
veteran of Fun Runs, Stacey Brickman from West Bloomfield Hills, MI has
organized several elementary and middle school Fun Run events. “A successful
fun run accomplishes all the things a PTO tries to create all year. It builds
school spirit, increases participation, raises school pride, and is a fabulous,
fun whole-school event,” Stacey said. “We would have a fun run even if it
didn’t raise money because it is a blast.” www.ptotoday.com
How can you get started with school Fun Runs?
Fitness Finders® offers a Challenge Series® program that provides easy to implement fun-run templates and awards.
The Challenge Series® is
a youth running or walking program combined with imaginative monthly events and
accompanying awards. The Series may be conducted as often as once a month, for
nine months, just once a year or any number in between. The monthly challenges
may be held during physical education classes, after school, at recess, as an
active assembly, at a club/recreation setting, as a community Fun Run or part
of an established community-wide run. The challenges permit young people to
participate in a one-half to one mile run/walk or, on occasion, longer
distances.
With the Challenge Series®, participation and completion are the focus and are rewarded. Everyone is a winner! Upon completing the specified distance, each young person receives a special award for the event. For example, a pumpkin is awarded for an October Pumpkin Run or a shamrock is provided for a March Shamrock Shuffle.
With the Challenge Series®, participation and completion are the focus and are rewarded. Everyone is a winner! Upon completing the specified distance, each young person receives a special award for the event. For example, a pumpkin is awarded for an October Pumpkin Run or a shamrock is provided for a March Shamrock Shuffle.
The Challenge Series is a powerful, event-driven activity that encourages young people to set a goal of walking/running a specified distance. But how could a Challenge Series® Fun Run serve as a school fundraiser?
We recommend organizing a Challenge Series® event monthly,
with the September/October Fun Run functioning as a kick-off fundraiser, and
the final Challenge Series® event in May as an End-of-the-Year fundraiser. Both
of these Fun Runs could be opened to the public, and we recommend charging a
moderate registration fee. Make sure you advertise these events as fundraisers,
and if possible, specify your intended use for the money to generate
excitement. Make it a fun, whole-school, community-wide affair!
You
can also raise money by having people pledge dollar amounts per lap (or steps
or miles), or you can have your Fun Run be part of a larger, carnival-type
event that has a variety of onsite fundraising games and goodies to purchase.
You are in charge, so your Fun Run can be anything you need it to be. But all
Fun Runs are great at promoting physical activity and creating community
spirit.
We would love to answer any questions you might have
regarding Challenge Series® fun-runs and pricing. Please don’t hesitate to call
800-789-9255 or email kellie@fitnessfinders.net
for more information. Fitness Finders, Inc. is committed to Shaping America's
Future® by providing effective motivational programs and awards designed to
develop the body, mind and character of youth. We strive to provide practical
and innovative solutions for physical educators, teachers and youth leaders.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)