Times Union
By Azra Haqqie
Friday, April 11, 2008
Grant helps school monitor students' activity for better workouts.
Sand Creek Middle School is changing the way its sixth-graders learn about health and fitness.
Since January, the students have been part of a program designed to combat childhood obesity through a combination of classroom and physical education efforts.
In gym class, 30 pedometers count the number of steps and activity time.
"The students should have 600 to 900 steps in 35 minutes of gym class," said gym teacher Karen Bonitatibus, who has adapted the youngsters' activities to be more vigorous. "It means less talking (for me) and more workout for the kids."
Sand Creek is one of 10 schools from three states that got a $10,000 grant from EnergyNow!, a national alliance of physical education, nutrition and fitness technology groups, to cover the costs of the program.