Marshwood Times: A New Way to Conquer Health and Fitness ...

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A New Way to Conquer Health and Fitness: Freshman Wellness

By: Joab Aubert

Out with the old and in with the new. ?Gym and health classes at Marshwood High School are combined this year into ?Freshman Wellness? with the hope of exposing students to healthy choices mixed with physical activity. We?re ?integrating health so it relates with physical activity,? said Mrs. Jennifer Webb, MHS guidance counselor. ?Health class and one semester of MHS?s ?gym requirement are now completed at the same time.

Thanks to Mrs. Tarnya Fegan, MHS?s previous wellness counselor, and Mr. Paul Mehlhorn, Marshwood principal, the curriculum for this course was created. ?Students no longer take a whole year of gym freshman year then half a year of health sophomore year. The wellness course is completed by the end of freshman year, and students get to choose a one semester gym elective to meet the 1.5 credit requirement.

Mr. Mehlhorn made it clear that students need to be exposed to healthy living at a younger age. ?Students need physical activity to keep the body strong, along with knowing how to keep their body in good condition for a healthier lifestyle.

The wellness class also teaches students about healthy food choices, healthy living, and what to do in certain situations such as when depression strikes, or how to avoid substance abuse. Mr. Mehlhorn explained that ?the class is all about ?increasing [student] awareness.? Students need to know what options they have to eat healthier and where they can go when feeling down, stressed, or overwhelmed.
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The wellness class has created an environment where each student can pick his or her own fitness path. Students now have opportunities to choose classes that best suit. Creating more classes for the students allow more exposure to different pathways to health.

Mr. Mehlhorn said, ?every person has a physically fit plan that works for them.? ?To get their final gym credit, students don't have to be stuck in a gym class including competitive team games if it simply doesn?t match their preferences. Instead, students can pick something that suits them better and allows for more participation whether it be fit for life, weight training, or team games.

Freshman Wellness has increased the amount of gym electives that can be chosen by students. There shouldn?t be any worries about picking another class that counts for a half gym credit. Because of the wellness class, several new gym electives, such as Team Games, have been created in order to serve student interest. The goal wasn?t to make it harder for someone to choose their gym class; more options were created in attempt to catch everyone?s eye. Students will be able to pick the class that makes them feel the most comfortable with their surroundings.

We ?wish it was brought in when we were freshmen,? agreed seniors Cody Dutra and Andrew Purgiel. The new class structure caught their attention because it gets the health requirement ?out of the way? freshman year. Both like the idea of the change because it clears up space in a sophomore?s schedule. These seniors noted that, ?kids end up taking another gym credit anyways,? so the ?hassle? of having to find another gym class isn?t as bad as it seems. ?Many juniors and seniors already choose to take another gym elective for fun.

Freshman Wellness has created a medium for fitness that can meet the needs of many students. This class has created new opportunities for students to explore and discover healthy lifestyles. Freshman Wellness is a new improvement to our school and is a change that was definitely worth making.

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Source: http://marshwoodtimes.blogspot.com/2012/10/a-new-way-to-conquer-health-and-fitness.html

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