Vets students get wild with PE electives

Posted 10/16/14

Some students at Warwick Veterans Memorial High School have been spending time out in the wild, learning how to live off the land, fish for food and build shelters. It’s all part of a new physical …

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Vets students get wild with PE electives

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Some students at Warwick Veterans Memorial High School have been spending time out in the wild, learning how to live off the land, fish for food and build shelters. It’s all part of a new physical education (PE) elective offered by the school, Surviving the Wild.

“The school department realized from RIDE [Rhode Island Department of Education] that we had more minutes of PE [scheduled] than required by RIDE,” said Vets Principal Gerry Habershaw. “We used to have three quarters of PE and one quarter of Health per year, but now we’re only required to have one quarter of PE and one quarter of Health.”

Habershaw explained that more time was needed for supports such as math and literacy labs to help boost test scores; so required PE time was reduced.

“It left a huge void and cause for teacher cuts, but the PE department was allowed to create electives,” Habershaw said. “The key to saving jobs was to get kids into the classrooms. We’ve embraced these and have full classes.”

Habershaw said students have responded well to the electives.

“The kids seem to like them,” he said. “They’re getting word in the first semester and signing up for second semester courses.”

Bruce Bennett, PE department head at Vets, said the department was very pleased to be allowed to develop electives for students.

“This gave us an opportunity to present very interesting courses to kids and parents,” he said, adding that they wanted courses that would be popular with students and that they would get enjoyment from.

Bennett said six courses were developed, each a semester long and worth a half-credit toward a student’s GPA. The courses, which are open to all students, are: Body, Mind & Movement; Fitness for Life; The History of Sport; Leaner, Faster, Stronger; Spartan Challenge; and Surviving the Wild.

“We had a small presentation to present them to the students last year before they made their schedules [for this year],” he said. “We got a positive response where we have enough for 17 sections of electives throughout the year, with 15 to 20 students in each section.”

Bennett said the Surviving the Wild elective was PE teacher Scott Bayha’s idea.

“We had to reinvent ourselves in PE. I thought with the popularity of all the survivor shows on TV, it would spark kids’ interest,” Bayha said. “It works out well because they can relate to what they’re doing, which adds to the educational experience.”

Bayha said the class focuses on teaching about nature as well as introducing students to adventure-type sports, such as kayaking and hiking.

“We try to do it so kids get physical activity and stay healthy while learning skills they can take and use later on in life,” he said.

Bayha said students have learned how to fish by finding their own bait and making their own poles with sticks and string; they’ve used kayaks and paddleboats; learned how to get dry tinder for a fire; and how to use a compass.

“We watch the weather and plan ahead accordingly,” he said. “As the weather gets colder, we’ll learn how to make snow shelters and snow shoes.”

Bayha said he would also like to do some field trips and take the students on hikes. He said for many students, the things they are doing in class are being introduced to them for the first time.

“It’s amazing – we live near the water, but many of them had never been in a paddleboat or a kayak. They all have trees in their yard, but they don’t’ know what they are,” he said. “It’s real cool when kids come back and realize they did something for the first time and can’t believe they did it. They gain confidence from learning something they’ve never done.”

Joseph Sepuloveda, a junior in the class, said the class has helped him because he had a fear of boats but taking the class has allowed him to get in one.

“I’m getting used to things I’m not used to, getting out of my comfort zone a bit,” he said. “It’s an extremely fun class and it helps because you’re learning things you didn’t know and that would help us in any survival situation.”

Sepuloveda said his family enjoys camping and wants to be prepared in case they ever break down or get lost.

“We learned how to tie knots, build fires, use a compass, and how to make fishing rods and identify trees,” he said.

Jared Davenport, also a junior, said he wanted to take the class because it allowed him to get outside of the classroom and it was more hands-on, which helps him with learning.

“It’s a fun class. I caught the first fish I ever caught in this class. We had to find our own bait and make our own pole,” he said. “A lot of kids caught their first fish ever. I can’t believe I’m doing this in school – this is so cool!”

Davenport said he’s enjoyed everything so far and feels what he’s learned is more practical than classroom subjects.

“Even if I’m not forced to live in the wild, I can use this stuff in everyday life,” he said. “It’s my favorite class on my schedule. It would be awesome to take it again, or take a part two.”

Bennett said there are two sections of Surviving the Wild currently running in the first semester, and the rest of the electives will run next semester, including more sections of Surviving the Wild.

“The response so far has been very good, but it’s still a work in progress and we plan to tweak things as we go,” he said. “We’ll get into the full swing of electives next semester and determine what works and what needs to be replaced, added or changed.”

Bennett said his staff of six PE teachers will teach anywhere from one to four electives.

“We were nervous at first because kids have a number of opportunities available to them for electives, so we were pleased and surprised that many chose the PE electives,” he said.

Bennett said when the announcement was made regarding the reduction in PE time; a number of students were upset.

“PE is an opportunity to get away from academic subjects and blow off some steam. It’s one of the few opportunities for socialization,” he said. “This is hugely important. They’re not just coming to PE and working on things for two weeks; this is a student-chosen activity that they want for a full semester. They want to be there and participate.”

Bennett said studies have shown physical activity is good for mental alertness and benefits the testing process.

“We’re excited for the opportunity central administration has given us,” he said. “It looks like the electives will be very successful and PE will carry on in a different form where we can still provide physical activity for students, which we feel they need and should be involved in.”

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