Dear Editor:
On Thursday, April 29, 461 Grade 6 students from Summerland and Penticton came together for Hearts@school, an event dedicated to educating students on the importance of healthy living.
Students arrived at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre for an entire day of learning and participating in various events. The students attended six activity stations throughout the day. Two of the stations were educational where they attended mini-booths set up with catchy names: Sun Sense, Get Movin’, Ready Set Goals…, Butt Out (tobacco-prevention), Chill (stress-management) and Eat Right.
These stations were led by Summerland Secondary School leadership students as well as the Esteem Team (Ready, Set Goals…) and Karl Gunderson (Eat Right).
Trivia Games, the other educational station was set up in a game show format which tested the students and reinforced what they had learned earlier in the day.
The students were then able to attend three physical activity stations of their choice. These included Valleywide Tae Kwon Do, GOES Jiu Jitsu, golf led by the Summerland Golf and Country Club and Tyrel Babkirk, biking, led by the Bike Barn and Gary McBryde, jazz dance led by Summerland School of Dance and SSS students, yoga, led by Cheryl Plewis, Laurie Clark and Reflextions Yoga Studio, speedminton, zumbatomic led by Summerland School of Dance, Action Schools BC circuit stations and juggling, hip hop dance, led by Carissa Joy Dance Instruction, ballet, modern and jazz funk dance, led by Okanagan Dance Studios and belly dancing and cheerleading, led by Get Bent Studios.
Many businesses are dedicated to volunteering year after year and some have even been involved since 2005. Thank you to all the businesses that participated in the event.
Hearts@school started in 2003 by nurse-educator Carol Stathers and Penticton Community Centre’s Bob Pope.
It began with the goal of teaching kids the importance of a healthy lifestyle and introducing them to ways they can be active in the community. It also provides an opportunity to try activities they may not have had an opportunity to do so in the past.
The event would not have been possible without the support from the Lions Clubs of Penticton and Summerland; the group is not only keen to help financially, but many keen volunteers come to the event to help out.
Melissa Stathers
Grade 12 Leadership
Summerland
Secondary School
Summerland