Elementary aerobics — Shaping sharp students

Children at Rock Springs Elementary are getting fit.
“The Fit Kids” club, which is a partner of the Fit Dimension, is held once a week to help keep kids active.
“The kids love it, the parents and the school,” said Jill Feldmeyer, who runs Fit Dimension.
Each week, the kids learn all forms of exercise, including, aerobics, pilates and yoga.
In the new year, Feldmeyer hopes to add kickboxing and self-defense.
But it’s not all about exercise, Feldmeyer said.
There is also some education.
“We always try to teach them something,” she said. “For example they have learned how to take their heart rate and we have also talked about how to make healthy food choices.”
The fitness group started in October. The first day 110 kids showed up from kindergarten to 5th grade.
Feldmeyer said she was shocked.
“I thought maybe 30 or 40 kids would show up,” she said.
And the amount of children who show up is still high.

Emily Brison, a third-grader, stretches out her leg during the Fit Kids Club on Thursday. The club meets once a week at Rock Springs Elementary with members of Fit Dimension running it. More than 100 children showed up the first time the club met. Amy Wadsworth / LTN Photo

At Thursday’s class, there were roughly 98 who participated.
“For some children, it is the only after school club that they do,” Feldmeyer said. “A lot of parents want their kids active.”
Another big factor that made Feldmeyer want to help get this started is the fact that diabetes is so prominent in children.
“It’s getting worse because technology is less and so is the movement in the body,” she said.
Franci Franklin, a teacher at Rock Springs Elementary was one of the driving forces to get the club to form.
“We were complaining that kids weren’t fit,” Franklin said.
She is so glad that the club is such a hit now.
“They love it,” she said. “The kids stop me in the hall and ask me if we are having fit kids club today.”
Although many of the children are different ages, Feldmeyer said the children just do what they can to keep up.
And some of the children are doing more than their fair share.
Twelve children were given a “Presidential Active Lifestyle Award,” which was started by President Bush in 2000.
“It is to help promote fitness in schools for kids and adults,” Feldmeyer said. “For five days they must work out for 30 minutes for six weeks.”
All the children who were given an award, recorded their fitness for the week and turned it in to receive the award.
The club is held every Thursday from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the gym.
Feldmeyer is hoping that the trend to have types of clubs like this will catch on.
“Sometimes it seems like physical education is getting less and less in schools,” she said.

Jolea Little reaches way back and touches the soles of her shoes during a session of The Fit Kids Club at Rock Springs Elementary School. Diane Turbyfill / LTN Photo
by Amy Wadsworth