This week's letters
This is what I think about the revolution
Editor:
As a public school physical educator in Maine for the past 30 years, I’d like to put a little perspective on Amada Estes’ recent essay, “Gym class revolution.”
The obesity rates for children as well as adults in this country has sky rocketed; not a news flash. What this indicates besides greater consumption of junk food and an overall more sedentary lifestyle is that something we’re doing isn’t working. As a teacher, when something isn’t working for my students, it is my job to figure out what will work.
I totally agree with Ms. Estes’ assessment of the benefit of sports and that still remains the centerpiece of most physical education programs. The kids who are drawn to sports aren’t the ones whose health is imperiled. What about the kids for whom sports is a tortuous, humiliating experience in PE class? They feign illness, “forget” to bring sneakers, etc. They’re the ones who need the physical activity the most.
Enter DDR (Dance Dance Revolution), pedometers, heart rate monitors, etc. Like it or not, today’s students are drawn to technology and these tools are making a difference. An example I would share is a middle school student I have who had zero interest in anything physical until I brought out the heart rate monitors. This student now asks to wear it in every class, and works hard to keep in her target heart rate zone.
Students as well as adults should learn about their cardiovascular health, strength and flexibility development and maintenance, and understand what motivates them, and then practice it in their daily lives.
That is what the real gym class revolution is about.
MaryEllen Schaper,
South Portland
Camp Ketcha extends thanks to volunteers
Editor:
On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of Camp Ketcha, I would like to thank the volunteers and businesses who made the second annual May Day Family Festival at Camp Ketcha on Saturday May 5 a tremendous success. As a non-profit organization, Camp Ketcha relies on the support of volunteers and the generosity of businesses in order to keep costs low and make unique outdoor opportunities accessible to local families. More than 275 children and their family members participated in this year’s event.
The Scarborough High School Key Club has been a huge asset for Camp Ketcha events for the past three years. This volunteer service club is rumored to be the largest in the State; and the Scarborough Key Club routinely supports Camp Ketcha with dozens of motivated volunteers for our three family events during the school year. At May Day last Saturday, 24 volunteers assisted with pony rides, painted children’s faces, helped manage the climbing wall, and served food. Like all of the Key Club volunteers, these young men and women were ample ambassadors of the best that Scarborough has to offer and they represented our community proudly.
Two area businesses also helped with the successful effort. Local franchisees of Dunkin Donuts donated marketing support and products to help cut costs for the event. The Maine Rock Gym donated the use of its mobile climbing wall to help us offer active outdoor opportunities for all ages, and to help bring a sample of Camp Ketcha’s outlying program areas (like our ropes course) closer to the main building.
These volunteers and businesses ensured that May Day succeeded as a community event, and continued to make Camp Ketcha a community resource for outdoor education and recreation. We look forward to celebrating the outdoors and Scarborough Marsh with families here for seasons to come, and we are extremely grateful for all of the support!
Eric M. Topper
Program Director
Editor:
As a public school physical educator in Maine for the past 30 years, I’d like to put a little perspective on Amada Estes’ recent essay, “Gym class revolution.”
The obesity rates for children as well as adults in this country has sky rocketed; not a news flash. What this indicates besides greater consumption of junk food and an overall more sedentary lifestyle is that something we’re doing isn’t working. As a teacher, when something isn’t working for my students, it is my job to figure out what will work.
I totally agree with Ms. Estes’ assessment of the benefit of sports and that still remains the centerpiece of most physical education programs. The kids who are drawn to sports aren’t the ones whose health is imperiled. What about the kids for whom sports is a tortuous, humiliating experience in PE class? They feign illness, “forget” to bring sneakers, etc. They’re the ones who need the physical activity the most.
Enter DDR (Dance Dance Revolution), pedometers, heart rate monitors, etc. Like it or not, today’s students are drawn to technology and these tools are making a difference. An example I would share is a middle school student I have who had zero interest in anything physical until I brought out the heart rate monitors. This student now asks to wear it in every class, and works hard to keep in her target heart rate zone.
Students as well as adults should learn about their cardiovascular health, strength and flexibility development and maintenance, and understand what motivates them, and then practice it in their daily lives.
That is what the real gym class revolution is about.
MaryEllen Schaper,
South Portland
Camp Ketcha extends thanks to volunteers
Editor:
On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of Camp Ketcha, I would like to thank the volunteers and businesses who made the second annual May Day Family Festival at Camp Ketcha on Saturday May 5 a tremendous success. As a non-profit organization, Camp Ketcha relies on the support of volunteers and the generosity of businesses in order to keep costs low and make unique outdoor opportunities accessible to local families. More than 275 children and their family members participated in this year’s event.
The Scarborough High School Key Club has been a huge asset for Camp Ketcha events for the past three years. This volunteer service club is rumored to be the largest in the State; and the Scarborough Key Club routinely supports Camp Ketcha with dozens of motivated volunteers for our three family events during the school year. At May Day last Saturday, 24 volunteers assisted with pony rides, painted children’s faces, helped manage the climbing wall, and served food. Like all of the Key Club volunteers, these young men and women were ample ambassadors of the best that Scarborough has to offer and they represented our community proudly.
Two area businesses also helped with the successful effort. Local franchisees of Dunkin Donuts donated marketing support and products to help cut costs for the event. The Maine Rock Gym donated the use of its mobile climbing wall to help us offer active outdoor opportunities for all ages, and to help bring a sample of Camp Ketcha’s outlying program areas (like our ropes course) closer to the main building.
These volunteers and businesses ensured that May Day succeeded as a community event, and continued to make Camp Ketcha a community resource for outdoor education and recreation. We look forward to celebrating the outdoors and Scarborough Marsh with families here for seasons to come, and we are extremely grateful for all of the support!
Eric M. Topper
Program Director
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