An elementary school in Paragould, Arkansas, has recently turned a former locker room into a "gaming" cardio room. They have exercise bikes hooked up to video game players, which are used in a cardio class that is offered in addition to normal P.E. classes to all 4th through 6th graders. The school paid for the equipment with funds from a nearly $500,000 grant awarded to the school. In addition to the game bikes, the school also has dance pads, a treadmill, and an elliptical machine set up in their new cardio room. This new program at Oak Grove elementary is the only one of it's kind in Arkansas and with the obesity rates so high, the health and fitness consultant, Diana Layrock, says anything that can give the students a little exercise is great. The school has intentions of installing another 12 flat screens and 24 more dance pads in the near future. This original article, Offbeat: Student Exercise, contains a short video clip about the program.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
A gamercising elementary in Arkansas
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This is awesome! I have contacted the school so perhaps I can go and check it out! First of its kind in Arkansas so I am excited!
ReplyDeleteThats great. I also contacted the school but through email - were they responsive to you? Please let me know what you are able to find out - I would be interested in any information - i think this is a very innovative program and hope that others will spring up because of it. I would love to talk to you some time if you are able to go visit the school. thanks - Michelle
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this Michelle! I didn't spot it through usual feeds because the article used "gamercising" instead of "exergaming"!
ReplyDeleteI've noticed that a mix of interactive and traditional fitness is becoming more popular rather than a 100% exergaming room. Is this the beginning of evidence of the gateway effect of exergaming?
Richard