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Pulling Together For Fitness

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By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR

cpastor@tampatrib.com

Published: February 18, 2009

LUTZ - Children at Schwarzkopf Elementary will have more ways to get exercise during the school day once a $14,000 fitness circuit opens.

The school will install 15 stations this spring near the playground and covered court. Students will be able to hop among activities, trying out steps, vaults, beams and climbing.

The parent-teacher association raised about $7,000, mostly through a golf tournament last year, said PTA President Julie Wiltse. The Hillsborough County school district matched the amount. The district sets aside money each year on a first-come, first-served basis to schools for improvements if schools contribute at least half of the total.

The school board approved the spending last month.

"I came out of my skin when they approved it that night," Wiltse said.
Wiltse wanted a PTA project that would show parents their money made a difference. Families had asked where the money they donated went, and Wiltse thought it would be more effective to do a lasting project instead of several small contributions to the school.

"You want to leave something there to say I was a part of that," she said.

Teachers take children outside for exercise daily, but only the youngest children and some special-needs classes use the playground during that time. The rest of the students go to the covered play court.

The fitness stations will give them several options to work out arms, abs and legs. Miracle Recreation Equipment offers multiple stations, and schools can order the ones that meet their needs. Schwarzkopf chose its exercise equipment after seeing children at Bryant Elementary.

Bryant installed its 10 stations in 2007, looking to maximize a corner of land that was not getting use. The physical education teachers taught students the routines and continue to use the stations, but it also is available for classroom teachers to take their children on breaks.

Instructions at each activity show ways to alter the exercises for skill levels. Students spend a couple of minutes on each one and rotate to the next.
Wiltse hopes to have the equipment in place before the end of the school year and plans to invite parents to try it out with their children.

Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (813) 865-1503.

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