SPARK program ignites passion for exercise

Courtney Sjoerdsma of Dallas, Texas, a SPARK trainer, leads a physical education activity lesson exercise for Union County educators in Imbler HIgh School’s gym. CHRIS BAXTER / The Observer

Local classroom teachers introduced to physical education curriculum designed to help students equate exercise with fun

Sjoerdsma trains for and competes in grueling triathlons in her spare time, but she makes her living skillfully showing teachers how to make exercising a delightful experience for their students.

Sjoerdsma is a trainer for SPARK, a national program based in San Diego that promotes exercise among children and fights childhood obesity. Trainers for SPARK travel around the nation introducing classroom teachers to a research-based physical education curriculum designed to get their students to discover that exercise can be synonymous with fun.

Sjoerdsma and Kathy Stumm of San Diego, also a SPARK trainer, were in Imbler Thursday showing about 60 Union County elementary school educators how they can get their students exercising

“We want to turn kids on to movement so they will seek it out,’’ Sjoerdsma said.

Sjoerdsma and Stumm showed educators how they can turn their students on to exercise with the use of a wide array of colorful tools including hula hoops, Frisbees and parachutes.

The parachutes can be used for games and cooperative group play that gets students moving, Sjoerdsman and Stumm told the teachers.

The parachute activities and others in the SPARK curriculum are designed to get students moving without placing the spotlight on any one child or group of students. This means teachers have students doing activities like bean bag accuracy tosses in in small groups. This prevents students who may not be a good at an activity from being embarrassed to the point that they do not want to participate.

“Small groups are optimum,’’ Sjoerdsma said.

The presentations by the SPARK trainers was sponsored and coordinated by Union County Fit Kids, a coalition or local organizations and agencies. Union County Fit Kids works to promote good eating habits and increased physical activity among elementary school aged children

A major reason Union County Fit Kids brought in SPARK is that many school districts are being forced to cut back on physical education due to budget problems. This means fewer districts have physical education specialists, leaving more classroom teachers with the responsibility of teaching PE.

“Teachers have expressed concern about this to us. They need training and support,’’ said Vicky Brogoitti, director of the Union County Commission Children and Families, which is part of the Union County Fit Kids coalition.

Sjoerdsma said she understands the situation many classroom teachers unfamiliar with PE find themselves in.

“Some have not picked up a ball since they were a kid. They feel a little unsure of themselves,’’ Sjoerdsma said.

SPARK trainers strive to put such trainers on more firm footing by showing them how easy it is to add PE to their curriculum. The key is organization.

“Ninety-five percent of teaching PE is management,’’ Sjoerdsma said.

The SPARK curriculum teachers were presented is progressive, becoming more involved at each grade level.

“The great thing about the curriculum is that it builds on itself,’’ Sjoerdsma said.

Darci Miller, a health and physical education teacher in the Imbler School District, said she was impressed with how the program presented can be incorporated into the school day with little difficulty.

“It is a great curriculum that is easy to integrate into the school day,’’ Miller said.

SPARK, which stands for Sports Play And Recreation for Kids, is a research-based nonprofit program.

Incorporating its activity-promoting curriculum into the school day will have a positive impact not only of the condition of students but also their academic performance, said Brogoitti. She said numerous studies indicate that increased physical activity during the school day raises student achievement. Brogoitti cited a report prepared by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “The Association Between School-Based Physical Activity, Including Physical Education and Academic Performance,’’ in making this point.

“There is substantial evidence that physical activity can help improve academic achievement, including grades and standardized test scores,’’ the report states.

Funding for the presentations by Sjoerdsma and Stumm was provided by the Wildhorse Foundation, Wal-Mart in Island City, Northeast Oregon Network and federal money.

The federal funding was left over from an old program that provided health services to elementary school children in Union County. The remaining money could only be spent on programs promoting health among Union County children, Brogoitti said.

Brogoitti and Nancy Findholt of the Oregon Health and Science University School of Nursing at EOU, were chief organizers of the presentations by the SPARK trainers in Imbler.

SPARK has been operating since 1989. Many adults today in their 20s and 30s may be exercising more regularly today because of their exposure to SPARK’s curriculum in school.

“The goal is to get kids to be active throughout their lives,’’ Stumm said. “If you are enjoying it you will seek it out.’’