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Early Childhood educators from southern Minnesota gathered at Armstrong Middle School in St. James on Friday, December 17th, to explore a new physical education program for their students. “We are concerned about the health of all of our students beginning at an early age,” said Community Ed Director, Sue Harris. “Thanks to funds from the Statewide Health Improvement Program(SHIP), The Early Childhood Initiative, and Child Abuse Protection Care(C.A.P..C) we are able to offer this training for a program called Sports, Play&Active Recreation for Kids(SPARK).” Forty educators from the Blue Earth Area, Butterfield, Madelia, United South Central, Truman, Fairmont, New Ulm, Martin County West, Granada and St. James took part in the introductory training at the Armstrong Auditorium. The SHIP grant and sponsorship of the different organizations made possible the training session with trainer Bernadette Garcia-Rodgers from California. Rodgers travels the United States and different parts of the world offering the SPARKS training. Garcia-Rodgers has been leading training sessions for seven years and has degrees in Exercise, Early Childhood Phy Ed and Nutrition.
“Preventing obesity and diabetes among children is our number one target area with this program,” said Harris. “We hope to introduce it first to Early Childhood students, to other school ages and then as an after school program.”
The SPARKS program is designed to provide high energy, academically integrated, enjoyable activities that enhance motor development and school readiness skills in childrens ages 3-5. The focus of the staff development is to train staff on age appropriate activities that motivate and encourage young children to be physically active.
One very creative idea Garcia-Rodgers introduced to the educators was the idea of teaching the alphabet to students using names of vegetables. For example: “A” is for apple, “B” is for broccoli, and “C” is for carrot.
A tentative date to begin the SPARKS program has not been set.
Early Childhood educators from southern Minnesota gathered at Armstrong Middle School in St. James on Friday, December 17th, to explore a new physical education program for their students. “We are concerned about the health of all of our students beginning at an early age,” said Community Ed Director, Sue Harris. “Thanks to funds from the Statewide Health Improvement Program(SHIP), The Early Childhood Initiative, and Child Abuse Protection Care(C.A.P..C) we are able to offer this training for a program called Sports, Play&Active Recreation for Kids(SPARK).” Forty educators from the Blue Earth Area, Butterfield, Madelia, United South Central, Truman, Fairmont, New Ulm, Martin County West, Granada and St. James took part in the introductory training at the Armstrong Auditorium. The SHIP grant and sponsorship of the different organizations made possible the training session with trainer Bernadette Garcia-Rodgers from California. Rodgers travels the United States and different parts of the world offering the SPARKS training. Garcia-Rodgers has been leading training sessions for seven years and has degrees in Exercise, Early Childhood Phy Ed and Nutrition.
“Preventing obesity and diabetes among children is our number one target area with this program,” said Harris. “We hope to introduce it first to Early Childhood students, to other school ages and then as an after school program.”
The SPARKS program is designed to provide high energy, academically integrated, enjoyable activities that enhance motor development and school readiness skills in childrens ages 3-5. The focus of the staff development is to train staff on age appropriate activities that motivate and encourage young children to be physically active.
One very creative idea Garcia-Rodgers introduced to the educators was the idea of teaching the alphabet to students using names of vegetables. For example: “A” is for apple, “B” is for broccoli, and “C” is for carrot.
A tentative date to begin the SPARKS program has not been set.
