West Elementary Students Get Fit at Recess

This fall, PE teacher Trisha Walls and school nurse Amanda Keegan started a new fitness trend at West Elementary School in Crystal Lake. Through the Wildcat Mileage Club, students in grades 1-5 can now walk or run during recess at lunch time. Besides the physical benefit, the club provides an alternative to recess and an opportunity to work on goal-setting as students earn tokens after completing a certain number of laps/miles. Several other D47 elementary schools, Glacier Ridge and Coventry, have also implemented similar exercise clubs.

Parent volunteers run the Mileage Club during lunch recess and Walls distributes the lanyards and tokens to students who’ve earned them during PE class. “Students are loving the opportunity to walk or run during recess,” said Walls. “Many have set goals for themselves and have been excited to earn their tokens.”

The West Parent Organization (WPO) donated $1,500 to cover start-up costs for the club, which included the purchase of lanyards, tokens, and a software program that tracks results for each student. Since September, 318 West students have run or walked 2,070 miles! The club wrapped up for the fall this week, but will start up again in early April, at which time it will also be open to kindergarteners.

“One great and unexpected advantage to the Mileage Club is that it provides an outlet to students on different levels -- not just in terms of physical fitness, but also socially,” said parent volunteer Annie Peyer. “In addition, it provides an opportunity for students who might not normally have the chance to otherwise participate in a group or after school club.”