Physical Education used to be a class to be dreaded, but now thanks to our school’s new equipment it is one to look forward to. The auxilary gym used to be a dark, dreaded place that no student looked forward to being in. Now, there is a new floor, Nintendo Wiis, and stationary bikes in a line against the wall.
“I love the new floor,” said sophomore Sara Jumah, “it feels so much softer on your feet when you run, and I fall less.”
The bikes and Wiis give students who are not good at the traditional running/throwing/kicking aspect of gym class an opportunity to involve themselves in other ways.
“The new equipment provides us with more opportunities to have fun in class. I actually enjoy gym now,” said sophomore Ola Alashammani.
Students have gym teacher Shari Frank and the PTSA to thank for the new and improved equipment. Frank wanted to improve the quality of her classes and took her proposal to the PTSA.
“I wrote a grant proposal to the PTSA for the Nintendo Wiis and they came through with the money to supply them,” said Frank.
The new equipment does not just add fun for the students, but gives them a way to enjoy sports without worrying about ridicule from their peers.
“They [Nintendo Wiis] give students a different way to interact and be active during class,” said Frank.
The new Wiis also provide students with virtual sports equipment. More students are able to participate in an activity at the same time, then they were before the Wiis came to our school.
“The Wiis were great for archery,” said Frank, “because some kids could do archery on the Wii and others could use the actual bows. Our school has really great archery equipment.”
Frank makes sure she uses the new improved equipment as much as possible, incorporating and adding it to her lesson plans.
“I have students use them to play things like badminton and tennis,” said Frank.
Students who are no longer in gym remember a time before the new bikes, floor, and Wiis. It was a time when there were hardly enough basketballs or volleyballs to go around.
“I saw all the new equipment the other day and was really jealous,” said senior Eileen Hager, “I kind of wanted to go back to gym just so I could play with a Wii during class. That is so cool.”
