Students, staff stretch the limit

Emily Brennan's face revealed the strain as she stretched the resistance band, but the 11-year-old fifth-grader would not be denied, and her arms opened wide until the band could go no farther.

Once again, a visit to the Wildcat Student & Staff Wellness Center at Wesley Chapel Elementary School had a proved a success for Emily.

"I feel I'm getting more strength with the different activities here," she said.

Emily isn't the only one.

The school established the wellness center about four months ago in a portable classroom, using donations to stock the facility with exercise equipment, fitness videos and books on health and nutrition.

The center is helping students and school staff members work themselves into shape.

Along with more nutritious meals in the cafeteria, the center is the reason Wesley Chapel Elementary was honored recently by the national Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

The alliance gave the school its Bronze National Recognition Award for creating a healthier environment for students and staff.

Physical education teacher Chris Gorman spearheaded the effort, tracking down used exercise equipment in good condition that he could get at bargain prices.

The wellness center came about after a survey showed staff members wanted a place where they could work out on the school grounds.

"They can get a complete workout before school, during lunch or after school," Gorman said.

The center also meshes well with a state requirement that students spend 150 minutes a week in physical education.

The P.E. teachers can provide children with 90 minutes a week, but that leaves the classroom teachers responsible for the remaining 60.

Now they can meet that requirement by bringing their students to the wellness center twice a week for 30-minute sessions, Gorman said.

The center is divided into two sides, one for students and one for staff. The staff side is more heavy duty, with weight-lifting and cardio-fitness machines.

The center's student side has a punching bag for eye-hand coordination, resistance bands to strengthen arms and shoulders, and exercise balls.

Students also can go outside to jump rope and swirl the Hula-Hoop.

The students have 27 stations they visit during a workout, spending 45 seconds at each as music plays.

"I think it's really great," said Emily, who is especially fond of jumping rope. "It's fun to do with music and stuff. I think it's helping a lot of the kids in the school to get active."

Bryan Sangar, 11, a fifth-grader, prefers the center's outdoor activities over those inside the portable classroom.

"I like exercising, and I like being outside," he said. "It fills my needs."

Bryan said he exercises at home each night before he goes to bed, doing pull-ups, pushups and sit-ups.

Gorman hopes to attract corporate sponsors to help improve the wellness center. He said anyone interested in becoming involved can contact him at the school.

Getting children to exercise more is one of the goals of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a joint partnership of the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation.

The alliance established the Healthy Schools Program in 2006 to help schools develop and implement policies and practices that promote healthy eating and increase physical activity, according to information from the alliance.

Too much junk food and too little exercise has caused childhood obesity to become a national concern, one that first lady Michelle Obama is helping to tackle, and Gorman said he has seen evidence of it at his school.

"It's hard to control what kids do at home," Gorman said.

The P.E. teacher tries to monitor their activities to some degree, though.

The students keep a log of their home exercise routines and can improve their physical education grades "if they go above and beyond," Gorman said.