Students at PS 30 on Staten Island can enjoy an invigorating gym class — before they hit the books.
The Westerleigh school became the 37th in the city — and the 1,000th around the world — to enroll in Reebok Foundation’s Build Our Kids’ Success program to help improve academic performance, health, and learning ability. More than 50 students have already signed up for the free morning sessions of warm-ups, running-related activities, and games.
The program is both proactive and health smart, according to the school’s lead trainer.
“It will help set the stage for a day of learning and a lifetime of healthier habits,” said Jacquelyn Mahoney.
Principal Alan Ihne was excited about the outcome.
“We are eager to see the difference it makes in our students,” he said.
The group of moms who created Build Our Kids’ Success believe that active kids equal active minds; they were inspired by Dr. John Ratey’s book “Spark,” which theorized that physical activity supercharged mental circuits in children to beat stress, sharpen thinking, and enhance memory. A recent National Institute on Out-of-School Time study found exercise before school had a positive influence on classroom performance and behavior, while results from its 2013 survey showed participants had an edge over their peers when it came to memory.
The program is a win-win, claimed founder and executive director Kathleen Tullie, who has shared the stage with First Lady Michelle Obama to promote active lifestyles.
“It helps improve classroom performance and behavior while building healthier lifestyles,” she said.
