In the end...

My project is officially done and that makes me super happy.  After finishing with the pool, the last day, I started putting the finishing touches on my binder.  The binder includes everything that was required to start my senior project and everything I did for my senior project. I also included a mini story in each section to tell what that portion entailed.  All I have left to add is my reflection paper and my research paper.  I will also be putting my presentation together the end of February/very beginning of March.  That's all I have for now!

three...two...1...WE'RE DONE!

Today was the final day of my senior project.  I am happy to say everything went really well through the entire process.  Everyone had a lot of fun, and so did I.  For the final day, I had a fun day.  The day consisted of SWIMMING!  Any kids who could come and I went to the Clear Lake pool today for a nice swim.  I am glad thta it ended up being really warm out, so going in the pool was a relief.  Everyone seemed to have lots of fun, and I really enjoyed going as well.  Not only is swimming fun, but it also applies to the health and fitness of my program.  It was a great day, and a great way to end my program.

Lesson I learned today: Kids have nothing to worry about, they are carefree and happy.  We should all be more like children, and be a little more carefree and always happy.

Almost the end...

I totally forgot to write my blog yesterday, which is kinda sad.  I enjoy writing this blog, because I like to tell people what I have been doing.  So, yesterday I started off by having them write down something for me.  They had to write down what they learned from the class, what they liked, and something they would have changed.  I am actually surprised that none of them wouldn't have changed a thing about the class.  I figured being kids they would be brutally honest, but I guess they must have really liked it.  After they wrote that for me I had them tell me one thing that they wrote on the paper.  They did this to receive a certificate and a letter.  The certificate just said congratulations on completing the program, and the letter was just my way of telling them thank you for helping me out with my program.  I wanted them to know that I greatly appreciated what they helped me do.  Not only did they get a certificate and a letter they also got a medal.  Granted, the medal was pink and said gymnastics on it, but they seemed to enjoy the gratitude.  Then again they didn't really care what it was, or what it said on it.  After receiving all of that they also got to take some fruit snacks, even though they aren't the healthiest thing in the world.  Toward the end I let them have a free day, to do what they wanted.  Mostly, they jumped into the pit and made up games to play.

Lesson I learned yesterday: Kids enjoy a lot of simple things in life.  Once they start something fun, they don't want to stop.

The countdown is almost done...

It's nice to know that I am going to be done with my senior project when school starts.  That fact is going to make my life so much better and easier, when the time comes.  So, anyways, on to what matters most.  The talk about what I had the kdis do today.  Today for running the kids had to run around the gym three times.  I try to make running less boring by doing all sort of kinds of running.  Of course, the next thing we did was stretch.  Like normal, that is what we always do after we fun.  After the running to day I had the kids to an obstacle course.  I had six different stations (I suppose you could came them that) that the kids had to go to.  First they had to jump down the tumble track, and then jump into the pit and crawl to the wall.  Then they had to jump over a row of mats I place on the floor.  After that they had to try and roll down and mat and then back up another mat.  Once they completed that they had to jump over an octagon, and then work on balance by walking across the low beam.  Lastly, they had to run back to the tumble track.  I had them complete the obstacle course as a race, and they really enjoyed the "competition".  The game was played a few times and then they continued working on their fitness things.  They are getting better at it every day.  Elimination is the name of the game we then played.  It is a game played with two balls, and it kind of reminds me of dodge ball a little bit.  Either way you have to try not to get hit by the ball, if you do you're out.  Once all that was said and done we had watermelon as a snack, they all really enjoyed that.

Lesson I learned today: Kids will follow what older people do because it seems that the older you are the cooler things are.  Frankly, I think little kids need to do what they think is right, not what others are doi

Only 3 more days!

Things are really starting to wind down.  Or course, I mean that theoretically, considering so many people are extremely busy this time of year.  Today was another exciting time with my program.  The first thing I had the kids do today, was to run.  They each got a turn to run anywhere around the gym for 1 minute each.  They really enjoy being able to go wherever they want to in the gym.  After running we always do stretching, as I usually state on my blog.  It's really not their favorite part, but I want them to know the importance of stretching.  After stretching we played the circle game.  I believe that they really enjoy the game, because it is a challenge.  I enjoy it, because it is fun to see them enjoying themselves.  I allowed everyone a turn to be it, that way no one feels left out or something like that.  I always see the people going for certain people right away, as if they are the best ones to get out first.  The fitness training was next.  They really didn't like the mention of the word fitness training, but they all did it very nicely.  We did a sort of shuttle run, pull-ups, and sit-ups again.  They all really seemed to improve in some areas and maintain in others.  We then played yet another game.  The game we played was a test of balance.  They all had to do the wheel barrow, and then they had to walk across the beam.  They need some balance, trust me.  I brought a snack again, this time it was cheeries.  I am glad that they all really enjoyed those!  Tomorrow they get watermelon, they are all really looking excited for it.

Lesson I learned today: Kids are some of the busiest people in the world, and yet they have more energy than most adutls.  It's just not fair.

It's been an entire 24 hours, that's like a full day...

One week left, and it's been a fun run!  Today, for starters, we did running.  I had the kids do a normal running today.  They just ran around the floor three times, skipped twice, shasayed twice (foward and backward).  After they got done with the running we sat and stretched.  I usually try to do each stretch for about 30 sec, or whatever me counting to thirty is equivalent to.  After we did that we played some dodge ball.  The game was not your typica dodgeball, however.  Instead of using little balls, we used the bigger fisio balls in the gym.  I did, though, have specific rules about using the bigger balls.  I wanted it to be more fun, but I also didn't want anyone to be getting hurt while using them.  The kids thought that was a really fun idea, at least I think so anyways.  After we played dodge ball we did some more fitness things and some running.  The kids are really starting to show some imporvement on their fitness training.  I am glad that I can see the improvement in them.  After we did the fitness stuff we played another game.  In the groups I told them that they could pick their favorite game that we have played thus far.  The groups each had a different favorite.  In the first group we played mat tag, a really fun game where you jump from mat to mat with someone being it.  They enjoy running from mat to mat seeing how far they can jump and who they can tag.  The second group did an obstacle course, that they set up themselves.  I made them do it two times, and they did a really good job with it.  At the end I gave them a treat of strawberries.  They all really enjoyed that!

Lesson I learned today: It's hard to make someone feel better, when you really don't know the root of the problem.  However, once you figure it out, you do all that you can to make them feel better.

And we're 21 hours in..o boy!

It seems that the time is flying by, and I am not just talking about the summer.  I thought at the beginning of this project that 40 hours was a lot, but as I am now going through it the hours seem to be flying by.  Here I am already 21 hours into my project!  It just seems crazy!  Anyways back to the important information.  Today at the program we did a few different things.  The first thing that I had them do, was to run.  They kind of did follow the leader.  Each person got to take the group around the gym, where ever they wanted, for one minute each.  They thought it was fun to take the people where ever they could to make it difficult.  After they ran we sat and stretched and talked like every other day.  After that we played a game.  Today we played my version of duck-duck-goose.  When they called someone goose, before they could run they had to do strength.  It was interesting to see how they managed to get the strength in and chase down the tagger.  They thought it was a blast.  After we played that game, we did some more fitness training.  I am just trying to see how well they can do from day to day.  They do pullups, timed situps, and running for me, however they do a lot more in P.E.  I know they really don't enjoy that part of the program, but it is a benefit to them.  Once we were done with that we played another game.  We played forward roll tag for the second game.  It was fun to watch them be so excited about one game.  I surprised them with the snack of peaches at the end of the program.  They all really enjoyed that, and thought it was a great idea.

Lesson I learned today: Sometimes it is easier to get to a persons happiness through their stomach, or so it seems.

Happy belated birthday America!

I was a little worried that no one would show up today, seeing as it is the day after the fourth of July.  A lot of people tavel, and don't want to have duties to attend to.  Luckily, I had a great turn out and we had a lot of fun today.  The first thing that I had the kids do was to run.  They ran three laps and then skipped two laps.  Lastly they shasayed forward and backward two time.  After the ran they stretched.  We stretch legs, arms, and well pretty much everything get a good stretch.  Once we got done stretching I drew some circles on the floor.  You may be thinking that, that is kind of weird.  Well, to make sense of it, we played a little game of circle tag.  The kids had to stay in the circle while they ran around, and one person was the doing the tagging.  It was a quite a bit of fun for everyone.  After we played that game we did some more running, and some physical fitness practice.  I just wanted to see how they would do with some random practice testing.  They all did really well I thought.  After we did that I set up a sort of an obstacle course.  The kids had to jump down the tumble track, then they had to jump into the pit.  They then jumped over some spring boards, and then they crawled under a mat.  After that they ran and got over the low bars, however they possibly could.  Then they ran to the vault and climbed over it, and ran back to the tumble track.  It was a good time.  Pictures show the cirlce game being played.

Lesson I learned today: When your happy and having fun, the kids seem to be happier and having more fun.

Independence is here...

Happy almost 4th everyone!  Today was a good day with the program.  The first thing I had them do was running.  They had to jump on the tumble trak, and then run up the stairs, around the balcony, and then back down the other set of stairs.  After that the kids played another game.  They had to run down the tumble trak and then climb through the pit.  The fun part for me was getting to throw dodge balls at them while they ran toward the pit.  Granted, I didn't throw them hard.  Once they got out of the pit they had had to push a mat down a small portion of the floor and back again.  Then they had to run over to some blocks and hop over them.  They then had to do some forward rolls over cheese mats a set up on the floor.  After that they had to do a straight jump off of a spring board and on to a porta-pit.  Lastly, they had to run back over to the tumble trak, in order to do the obstacle course again.  After they did that a couple of time we played yet another game.  This game, however, wasn't a running around game.  We played sort of pictionary, and it was really fun.  Everyone, one at a time, had to try something that was a healthy food.  While they were drawing, we all had to figure out what it was.  It was fun to see what they kids drew, and how they depicted it on paper.  The drawing was fun, but I had once last hooray for today.  We got to eat a healthy snack today.  I allowed them to make ants on a log.  This consists of a celery stick, with peanut butter and raisins on top.  It was a nice difference from the norm of what we do.

Lesson I learned today: When your tired, it is a lot more difficult to want to do fun things with the kids.

Everyday is a little better...

Happy Monday everyone.  That's seems kind of odd to add since no one really reads this, ha.  Anyways, let's get on to the serious stuff.  Today instead of having the kids run around the floor, I had the kids running around in a different way.  I let the kids get in a line and run wherever in the gym they wanted.  I would say it is kind of like follow the leader.  The kids could go up the stairs, in the pit, under the beams, under the bars, and on the tumble track.  Wherever their minds wandered and told them to go, they could go there.  After that I had the kids try and do a fun, but leg burning dance.  The dance is to the song Cotton Eyed Joe.  Once of the main reasons it is so hard is because you are bouncing around the whole time and and it is almost a five minute song.  After that I played another game with the kids.  This game, however, wasn't so much just fun and games.  I wanted them to think about the food guide pyramid a little bit.  It also took some strength on their part, with what I wanted them to do.  First I had the kids find the biggest mat in the gym, to represent the grains group of the pyramid (the largest group).  After that I had the kids find mats in decreasing size.  The mats all represented a group of the pyramid, with the smallest mats being the sugurs, oils, and fats group.  We also played a friendly game of dodgeball, after it all.  I wanted the kids to get thinking about the pyramid.  I am also trying to incorporate games, so the health part isn't just about talking.  I think so far the kids are having a good time!

Lesson I learned today:  The more kids you have, the more fun the time.  Not only is it more fun, but the time goes by a lot faster with more people having a good time.

Thank goodness for 6...

I once again had another good day.  There were six kids there today, and this make me really happy.  In the first I had three kids and in the third group I had two people.  We played games and more games.  I wanted to make today a really fun day.  This was because it is Friday, and that means the weekend!  After we played just some excercising games we played a more interesting game.  I hid some food in the gym, in places that were sort of obvious, but not too obvious.  I had the kids go and find what I had hidden in the gym.  They were to only find one of the items that were hidden.  Once they found an item they came back and we talked about what they had found on their hunt.  After talking the were to, again, find some more of the random things hiding around.  Finally everything was found and so we had a talk.  The kids and I talked about healthy food and not so healthy food.  We talked about why people go for junk food more than than they go for the healthy items.  We as a group, came up with the fact that junk food is more convenient, and it is easier to get to and it.  The healthier food seem to take longer to eat and longer to get ready.  In all  I think they took out of it that the healthy food is harder to work for, but it is better for you in the long run.

Lesson I learned today: Kids are more comfortable talking to you if you get down on there level.  They also do better in smaller groups.

Hip Hip Hooray for 7 on the 3rd day!

I was so happy to see that more people showed up today!  It definitely made my day that much better.  In the first group I had 5 kids.  This made it fun, because we could actually play games and then talk about the health part of my project.  I am glad that people are starting to show some interest, or just remembering that the class is going on.  Either way it makes me happy to see that parents are willing to allow their kids to participate in my program.  The second hour I again had Trent.  He worked on his conditioning, and I talked to him about eating healthy.  He is for sure feeling what it is like to workout everyday, and to start getting stronger.  I have asked him each day if he was sore, and each day he has told me yes.  The third hour I had four kids.  We again played games and it was a blast.  The two games we played were a tag sort of game, and then marco/polo in the pit.  Both of the games were a challege, and worked on your cardio.  Not only did we play the games, I talked to them about eating healthy.  We talked about what was healthy to eat and what was not so healthy to eat.  We also talked about what you should snack on if you are getting hungry during the day.  Another thing we talked about was making sure they ate breakfast, because it is one of the most important meals of the entire day.  I am hoping tomorrow is just as good of a day!  It has been a fun time so far, so I would like to continue the enjoyment.

Lesson I learned today: Kids are entertained by the simplest things, and enjoy playing game (even if the game has them running around, technically working out).

Turn out of 3 on Day 2

I actually got a turnout today!  It was great seeing that people actually remembered to come.  The first hour fun, we did some conditioning and such to pass the time.  I sure hope that more people come tomorrow, or it isn't going to be as fun as it should be.  Trent again did conditioning.  I plan on doing this for awhile and then talking to him about eating healthier foods, to be healthier.  I hope that he will actually take what I am saying and apply it to his every day life.  I want him to be healthy and strong, expecially since he is my nephew.  I want him to be the best that he can be for a very long time.  The third hour of my time was spent with some littler kids.  We actually worked on what I wanted to.  We played a name game, for me to get to know them a little better.  After that I had them warm up, and and stretch.  I plan on doing the warm up and stretch every single day of the program.  After that we played some games, just for the first day.  I am going to also be telling them how to be healthy and eating right at home.  I can't wait to see how it goes.  I sure home more kids show up tomorrow!  I am hoping for at least more than 1 kid in each group, so hopefully people come!

Lesson I learned today: Having people out, when you can't get people to come, is extremely helpful.

Already Day 1?

The day finally came to start my senior project.  My program "Got Healthy" is what I am talking about.  I got to the gymnastics building today around 1:30, in order to get ready for the kids to show up.  I wanted to make sure that I was prepared for them to come and have a good time.  Sadly, though, no one remebered that the class started today.  That is, except for my nephew.  He knew because I had talked about it to him just yesterday and today.  I got him started on his part of helping me.  At first I had him warming up.  He ran some laps and then we did some stretching.  After that I had him show me what he could do, that way I could have a good idea of what we should be working on.  I had hime do exercises that involved this: the legs, arms, tummy's, and backs.  Conditioning was also brought into the mix.  This was a test of all of his abilities, and it showed me what exactly we will be working on in the upcoming days.  I hope to make him a little bit stronger, just because then I would feel like I accomplished something.  After getting home I called the parents of the kids' and reminded them about the program.  Hopefully tomorrow I will have a better turn out.

Lesson I learned today:  Everyone needs a little friendly reminder every now and then. :)

So it begins...

Tomorrow is the start of my "Got Healthy" program.  I am kind of nervous, but I think it will be a good time.  I hope the kids enjoy what I have planned up for them to do.  I can't wait to spend the next three with the kids, and hopefully get to know them a little bit better.  I also hope the kids learn something about being healthier, and exercising.  Not only that, but I hope they are having fun while learning.  I couldn't manage to get kids for one of my hours of my program.  Even though I put up posters and put adds in the paper.  I did, however, get my nephew to help me out.  I am going to have him doing some what they same thing as the other kids, but not really all the games.  He will be doing more of a fitness program, to help make him stronger.  I think that this is still working toward my goal of being a Pediatrician.  He is also a good nephew for wanting to help his aunt out!  I plan on keeping an update everyday on what happens.  I will give pictures and everything!

Getting prepared...

So far this summer has been busy, but I have found the time to work on my senior porject (including writing this blog).  Up to this point I have gotten about 8 kids for my program, by sending letters home, before school got out for the summer.  Just recently I put an add in the paper to get kids interested, and I sure hope it works.  I plan on putting flyers up around town, to get more kids to come.  The program is going to start on Tuesday the 26th of this June.  For the first day, I can say that a name game is being planned on.  This way I can get to know the kids better, and make sure I know all their names.

Here goes...

My project is called "Got Healthy", a name thought of by me and my parents.  The project is a health and fitness program for the students who are currently in the 2-5 grade.  I have already sent home letters to these kids' parents to get the kids involved.  I have learned that when you hold something in the summer it is kind of hard to get kids to come because of what they already have going on.  Also it is hard because most parents are having to drive them, so they need the time to bring them in, or they live out of town and just can't get them to town.  My mentors are Mr. Gudmundson and Melissa VanGilder.  Interestingly they are both my gymnastics coach.  Mr. G has the experience in health, because he has been the health teacher and he does elementary P.E.  Melissa has the experience of the doctor side of things, which I figure is good to know since I want to be a pediatrician.