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Reina P. Cunningham

Staff Writer

Students at Page School Center are participating in a new program their teachers learned about through Coordinated School Health.

The program shows teachers ways to get their students up and moving because studies have shown this will help academically.

Music teacher Thomasa Risner and physical education teacher Tracy Enix from Page went to state training in order to learn about ways to help get their students up and moving. The instructors were given ideas of how to better educate their kids by getting them up and moving.

After reviewing all of the options available , the teachers decided ‘Walk and Talk’ was the best way to implement the ideas they were given at the meeting.

“Walk and Talk is what we took from this in-service,” explained Risner.

On sunny days, walk and talk participants enjoy being outside and on rainy days the students walk and talk in the gym.

‘Walk and Talk’ also allows for multi-tasking. While students in Enix’s class are walking and talking, they review the lesson they have just been taught while she takes attendance.

Students get 10 minutes to walk and talk.

But that’s not all the program helps students with, they said. It also helps with communication skills — an area one teacher believes needs focus.

“That’s an area that students seem to be lacking in because they don’t do as much communicating because they spend a lot of time (playing) video games,” explained Enix. “They’re not outside playing with their friends as much because of technology.”

Fifth-grade students say they enjoy the program because it allows them a way to release their energy, therefore making them better able to concentrate.

“Walk and Talk helps me concentrate more and relax,” said Whitney Caldwell.

“(We) have energy and we need to release it ” added Braxton Caldwell.

“It helps me concentrate in class and releases my energy,” agrees Caleb Lefevers.

The teachers hope the program will expand throughout the school soon.

Reach Reina P. Cunningham at 606-248-1010, ext. 205, rpcunningham@civitasmedia.com.