Kids wired to help set physical goals

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 15, Issue 689, 3 June 1997, Page 7

Kids wired to help set physical goals

Waimarino children rowing, running, pedalling and shooting while wired was the scene at the Raetihi School hall last Wednesday. The programme, called ' Activate' , set up and sponsored by the New Zealand Herald and Life Span Smokefree is on the road visiting schools and offering children the chance to participate in activities that promote a healthy, smokefree life style. The Activate group wanted to be involved in a more hands-on way in health education in schools. The theme for Activate is based on four main areas of health, fitness, growth and development, to activate the body, the mind, pride and passion. Although the Activate programme is set around sporting activities, "we hope it will help in overall education, including health, technology and the concept of learning as a whole" Mrs Blomfield said.

Mrs Blomfield said children may have a goal to be an All Black, for example, or a Silver Fern. "We hope our programme will help to encourage them to set smaller plans or goals and build up greater achievements as time goes by, step by step." Sport Ruapehu helped, with co-ordinator Kath Campbell liaising with the schools in this district. The children all said they really enjoyed the morning's activities which involved trying out electronically-moni-tored devices including a rowing engine, two cycles, a running track, a wheelchair, a basketball hoop and a yacht grinder. Each machine was attached to digital points and timing system and the children' s scores were displayed in metres travelled, time taken or successful shots. Each child has been given an Activate book and the children' s progress will be followed up, as well as their own self-evaluation and eoal-setting activities.