A group of fourth graders at Brummitt Elementary, under the direction of their physical education Teacher LouAnn Hopson, are voluntarily participating in a project called Sqord. This project was made possible thanks to a grant from the Duneland Education Foundation (DEF).
“As a physical education teacher, I can only motivate students to be active during the thirty-five minutes I actually have them in class,” noted Hopson.
Hopson wanted to motivate kids to move at school and at home, so she applied for and received a $576 grant from the DEF to purchase 22 student Sqord boosters/activity monitors and software. “If this program works, we will see a significant improvement in fitness scores,” said Hopson.
In order to increase student physical activity, Brummitt had already incorporated a before school ‘Mileage Club’ run/walk program and a winter ‘Exercise Club.’ The only drawback is that these activities can only be attended by interested students whose parents can bring them to school early. There is a large amount of time that students can and should be active in physical play time, but instead spend it in front of the television, on the computer, or playing video games.
The Sqord program feeds off that interest, and motivates students to move and participate in a video game/challenge. Students wear an activity monitor on their wrist that keeps track of their physical activity during class, at recess, at home, waiting for the bus, etc. The more the students move, the more points and rewards they achieve.
Students are able to download data from their activity monitors to Hopson’s computer at school or to their parent’s iPhone app. Through a secure website, each student is able to design their own character for the game, track their own activity and that of their classmates, as well as challenge/congratulate each other, and receive their rewards. The iPhone app also allows parents to have access to their child’s progress in the program.
Hopson hopes that this one-class pilot program works in getting these students inspired to MOVE and improve their fitness scores. “I would love to try this project with every Brummitt student; however, the cost is prohibitive,” she said. “If all goes well, I hope to request additional funds to add another class in the near future.”