Post by gatordog on Apr 1, 2009 12:03:52 GMT -5
Some old news two months ago I came across, from Naperville Sun. I didn't see where anybody posted this here. But this was a pretty neat story, I thought. Sounds like this was a wonderful day for all involved.
Fitness put on the spot in Tall Grass
January 30, 2009By PAUL LATOUR platour@scn1.com
Music blared, kids screamed.
Amid the symphony of noise filling the Fry Elementary gymnasium, Andrea Collins took a moment to pull aside her daughter's first-grade teacher, Renay Biehl.
A health and fitness clinic raged as Collins thanked Biehl for spearheading the event, the first of its kind at the school in the Tall Grass subdivision. Collins was especially happy to see who the volunteers were helping at each of the 15 stations set up throughout the gym.
The volunteers came from Waubonsie Valley.
"I didn't really consider who the people were going to be that were coming to help out," said Collins, whose daughter, Alexandra, participated. "It was just nice that it was them. Whatever the reason, I was really glad it was Waubonsie."
Several months ago Tall Grass residents, along with those from White Eagle, voiced strong opposition when District 204 redrew its boundaries in anticipation of the opening of Metea Valley this fall. The redistricting meant Fry switched from being a Neuqua Valley feeder school to a Waubonsie one.
But the clinic wasn't about politics. It was about fitness and community and friendships.
Biehl's ties to Waubonsie run deep. She graduated from the school in 1996 before playing soccer at Northern Illinois. There she was teammates with Julie Bergstrom, Waubonsie's girls soccer coach who has led the Warriors to two consecutive state championships.
The health night grew from that relationship. Already Waubonsie girls soccer players had been coming to Fry in the afternoons to read to the students. Fry's first-grade class needed to come up with a group event, so Biehl and Bergstrom hatched the fitness idea.
"That just seemed like the easiest and most fun thing to do," Biehl said. "We never thought it would be this big. This is something we will definitely continue."
Nearly 100 first graders showed up. Enough athletes came that each station had at least two volunteers guiding the children.
"We just thought it would be a lot of fun to help and get them active," senior soccer player Ali Stahlke said. "If they have fun playing sports maybe they'll do more of it. We just really like doing this."
For junior Jason Lockowitz, the event held an added bonus. As a wrestler, Lockowitz said he probably would have been at home not eating and working out by himself, trying to cut weight for a meet tonight.
"I decided this would be a good way to do that," said Lockowitz, who was manning the jump rope and Hula Hoop station. "It's a nice workout. I got a nice sweat going."
As for the parents, Collins wasn't the only one speaking highly of the Waubonsie athletes.
"I am really impressed with the kids they have here from the high school," said Mike Valek, whose daughter, Mollie, was a participant. "A great set of role models here."
Fitness put on the spot in Tall Grass
January 30, 2009By PAUL LATOUR platour@scn1.com
Music blared, kids screamed.
Amid the symphony of noise filling the Fry Elementary gymnasium, Andrea Collins took a moment to pull aside her daughter's first-grade teacher, Renay Biehl.
A health and fitness clinic raged as Collins thanked Biehl for spearheading the event, the first of its kind at the school in the Tall Grass subdivision. Collins was especially happy to see who the volunteers were helping at each of the 15 stations set up throughout the gym.
The volunteers came from Waubonsie Valley.
"I didn't really consider who the people were going to be that were coming to help out," said Collins, whose daughter, Alexandra, participated. "It was just nice that it was them. Whatever the reason, I was really glad it was Waubonsie."
Several months ago Tall Grass residents, along with those from White Eagle, voiced strong opposition when District 204 redrew its boundaries in anticipation of the opening of Metea Valley this fall. The redistricting meant Fry switched from being a Neuqua Valley feeder school to a Waubonsie one.
But the clinic wasn't about politics. It was about fitness and community and friendships.
Biehl's ties to Waubonsie run deep. She graduated from the school in 1996 before playing soccer at Northern Illinois. There she was teammates with Julie Bergstrom, Waubonsie's girls soccer coach who has led the Warriors to two consecutive state championships.
The health night grew from that relationship. Already Waubonsie girls soccer players had been coming to Fry in the afternoons to read to the students. Fry's first-grade class needed to come up with a group event, so Biehl and Bergstrom hatched the fitness idea.
"That just seemed like the easiest and most fun thing to do," Biehl said. "We never thought it would be this big. This is something we will definitely continue."
Nearly 100 first graders showed up. Enough athletes came that each station had at least two volunteers guiding the children.
"We just thought it would be a lot of fun to help and get them active," senior soccer player Ali Stahlke said. "If they have fun playing sports maybe they'll do more of it. We just really like doing this."
For junior Jason Lockowitz, the event held an added bonus. As a wrestler, Lockowitz said he probably would have been at home not eating and working out by himself, trying to cut weight for a meet tonight.
"I decided this would be a good way to do that," said Lockowitz, who was manning the jump rope and Hula Hoop station. "It's a nice workout. I got a nice sweat going."
As for the parents, Collins wasn't the only one speaking highly of the Waubonsie athletes.
"I am really impressed with the kids they have here from the high school," said Mike Valek, whose daughter, Mollie, was a participant. "A great set of role models here."