Students rise early for exercise

By Venice Buhain | The Olympian • Published May 13, 2008

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TUMWATER – About an hour before school started, about 35 Peter G. Schmidt Elementary School students dropped to the gym floor and gave physical- education teacher Diane Leighty 20 push-ups.

The students also ran laps, stepped up and down bleachers and did a few basic yoga moves before the rest of school arrived.

The 35 third- through fifth-graders recently finished the school's first six-week Breakfast Boot Camp.

Students and parents committed to arriving an hour before school three days a week to exercise, and Leighty volunteered to gauge whether students would be interested in more physical activity.

"If they're willing to put the time in, I'm willing to be there for them," she said.

Leighty started the free early morning routine to help students while they took the Washington Assessment of Student Learning.

"Active bodies help them have active minds," she said.

Third-grader Kaitlyn Barber, 9, said it wasn't easy to get to school an hour before the bell rings at 8:40 a.m.

"I would stay in bed if I didn't have to get up early," she said. "I get up at 7:30."

But for Kaitlyn, who also is in gymnastics, the morning workouts have been fun.

"Some of my friends were going to be in here," she said.

Fifth-grader Uati Pati, 11, who plays football, said that it was no problem for him to get up before school.

"Ms. Leighty told me we're going to exercise and play games," he said, adding he often gets up early and sometimes skateboards before getting to school.

Leighty said students get PE once a week, but students in Breakfast Boot Camp faithfully came early to do basic exercises such as running and sit-ups. They also played games that required plenty of exercise, such as tag, and did moves inspired by kickboxing.

"We're trying to encourage them to have an active lifestyle," Leighty said.

"Yes, there's times to have down time, but you can do basic things to be active.

"They've been so committed," she said.

Venice Buhain covers education for The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-754-5445 or vbuhain@theolympian.com.