www.hoodrivernews.com
Hood River News, Saturday, May 16, 2015
A11
healthy hood river
The Pulse of Prevention
Local kids learn tools for health
monitoring and lifelong wellness
By KIRBY NEUMANN-REA
News staff writer
ow hard do I need to work?
That’s one question among many in the “Fit
for Life” class at Hood River Middle School, a
curriculum developed by health and wellness
teacher Stacy Claus over the past 14 years, and
now vigorously presented to students by teacher Kyle Turn-
er, with assistance from parent volunteer Marge Gale.
Topics include the benefits of fitness (why we should do
this?), assessing one’s fitness, and, ultimately creating and
implementing a personal fitness program.
“Fit for Life is essentially Personal Training 101,” noted
Claus, a long-time teacher in the Hood River County School
District who is currently on maternity leave.
“Hopefully, kids learn what they can do to stay in shape
once they are out of school or no longer have a coach pre-
scribing their workout for them,” Claus said.
On a typical afternoon, the students can be seen outdoors
recording their at-rest pulse, then running or jumping rope
or doing other heart rate-raising activities, followed by
checking and recording their pulse in the heart rate lab in
their notebooks. The lab asks questions such as, “how long
did it take your heart rate to return to the original rate of
beating at rest?” and “could you improve your physical con-
dition? What type of exercise should you do?” The curricu-
lum lists plenty of types of exercise, along with tips for
stretching, weight control, and nutrition.
To answer the “how hard do I need to work” question,
students can follow a chart that lists weight loss, anaerobic
strength and lactate tolerance as benefits of expending
higher and higher percentages of maximum heart rate for
durations of an hour, 15-40 minutes, and 1-5 minutes.
Students learn that the “why exercise” is all about weight
maintenance, better sleep, reduction of depression and
stress, better academic performance, increased muscle
mass, and the social benefits. Students learn about metabo-
lism, weight management, and nutrition. They also explore
some of the reasons behind common health-related dis-
eases such as obesity, diabetes, and eating disorders.
“Students discuss healthy body image, as well as com-
mon fitness myths and outside pressures from the media to
confirm to a certain size,” Claus said.
The model for the class is half lesson/lecture and half
physical activity.
“Some kids enter the quarter moaning about the written
work, quizzes, and project, but, more than any other PE
class I’ve ever taught, students thank us, year after year, for
providing them with the tools to create a lifetime of health
and wellness,” Claus said.
Fit for Life is sort of like one big science experiment
where an eighth grader gets to use his or her own body as
the subject. “Students report that they are often surprised
by how good they feel after participating in the 9-week
course,” Claus said.
Claus said the class “morphs into something greater each
year.” The curriculum is based on a high school FFL class
developed by Human Kinetics, but “there was nothing on
the market appropriate specific middle school audience that
needs to move!” Claus said.
“Over the years, I have created a 40-page workbook that
serves as a text for the class. It’s always changing. I am very
thankful to have Kyle as a new PE partner. Both of us have
a background in exercise science and nutrition, and that is
the foundation of every lesson we teach.”
H
Photo by Kirby Neumann-Rea
CHARLIE BICKFORD checks his “Fit For Life”
workbook, above, while Josie Petersen, left, and
fellow HRMS students raise their heart rates by
jumping rope on a sunny spring morning. The
curriculum promotes self-confidence by urging
students to set small, reachable goals and avoid-
ing comparison of oneself to others.
Photos by
Kirby Neumann-Rea
Local resources for getting fit
See PREVENTION, Page A12
W i l d C o l u m b i a S a l m o n
FRESH SALMON CAUGHT DAILY
King Whole $10/lb.
Salmon Fillet $17/lb.
Steelhead
Whole $7/lb.
Fillet $12/lb.
Alder Smoked
$20/lb.
NEW CEDAR SMOKER “FREE SAMPLES”
Photo by Patrick Mulvihill
ACTIVE SENIORS join OSU extension health instructor, Lauren Kraemer, in a balance test, part of her lesson on osteoporosis prevention
at the Hood River Adult Center in April.
Looking to get fit? Here is
a list of local resources to get
you started.
Classes
Mondays: Tai Chi for Bal-
ance, 1-2 p.m. in the Mount
Hood Town Hall’s Mount
Hood Room. Classes are free
and for any level. No experi-
ence necessary; donations
accepted; summer schedule
will be announced soon.
Mondays and Wednes-
days: Walk with Ease pro-
gram, 8:30-9:30 a.m. at Co-
lumbia Gorge Community
College, Hood River cam-
pus. Join anytime. Spon-
sored by OSU Extension
and the Arthritis Founda-
tion. More info at 503-708-
6469 or anndow@me.com.
Tuesdays and Fridays:
StrongWomen Fitness Pro-
gram class (for men, too),
9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Mt.
Hood Town Hall. Join any-
time. Sponsored by OSU Ex-
tension. Work out with
other strong women. More
info at 503-708-6469 or an-
ndow@me.com.
Wednesdays: Gentle Yoga
for beginning seniors 50
and over, 10-11 a.m. at the
HR Care Center, 729 Hen-
derson Rd. Free. Taught by
certified yoga instructor
Christine Shannon. Wear
loose, comfortable clothing;
bring yoga mat and water
bottle; some mats available
onsite. No experience nec-
essary.
Clubs/centers
Curves Hood River, 1108
12th Street; call 541-386-6600
Flow Yoga, 118 Third Street;
call 541-386-9642
Hood River Aquatic Center,
1601 May Street; call 541-386-
1303
Hood River Sports Club,
1300 Brookside Drive. Call 541-
386-3230
Inside Out Fitness, 15 Third
Street; call 541-490-8717
Power Station/CrossFit
Hood River, 1813 Cascade Av-
enue; call 541-436-2635
Root Down Yoga Hood
River, 202 Cascade Avenue;
call 541-399-7788
Snap Fitness Hood River,
2940 W. Cascade Avenue Suite
100; call 541-516-1706
H a s y o u r h e a r i n g b e c o m e j u s t a l i t t l e
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