Studio 101 get students moving with Zumba, Yoga classes –
By Patricia Beech –
Students in the Cross Categorical Classroom (CCC) at Peebles High School spent the first term of this school year participating in a comprehensive Health Education program.
Funded by a grant acquired through the Adams County Health and Wellness Coalition, the Health Matters curriculum provides students with developmental disabilities an opportunity to participate in fun exercise classes, as well as a cooking and healthy eating course.
The program is part of the National Association of Chronic Disease Director’s (NACDD) Healthy Communities Grant for inclusion of people with disabilities.
The program began in Jan. 2018 at Manchester High School then moved to West Union High School at the beginning of the spring term.
Intervention specialist, Cristin Myers, taught the 10-week Health Matters course at Peebles High School in partnership with the Studio 101 fitness center in West Union.
She said the program was a great success with her students.
“In my classroom I have kids from seventh to twelfth grade with conditions ranging from autism to cerebral palsy, some are high functioning, some are low functioning, but they all really loved this program,” she says. “The staff from Studio 101 has been wonderful about doing different types if exercises to meet each of their particular needs, so everyone has been able to fully participate.”
According to Liz Lafferty, Director of the Adams County Board of Developmental Disabilities, the decision to present the Health Matters program in area high schools and at Venture Productions was a logistical one.
“We wanted to make sure this program was available to the maximum number of people with disabilities in our area,” said Lafferty. “This curriculum is great and the kids have all just loved it, from beginning to end.”
The program moves to North Adams High School for the second term of the school year.
Grant funding for the HealthMatters curriculum expires at year’s end.
