Students from four Texarkana elementary schools visited CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System Tuesday morning to celebrate 5 million minutes of movement using a program called GoNoodle.
GoNoodle is the only children’s brand that has millions of kids moving both at school and at home. In classrooms, teachers can engage and motivate students with 3-5 minute moderate to vigorous exercises that students perform next to their desks. At home, parents can use GoNoodle to turn screen time into active time.
These videos challenge students cognitively and engage them in physical activity. GoNoodle interactive videos are also proven to improve overall student health, boost cognitive processing, focus and academic performance.
Teachers in Texarkana are keeping their students engaged by having access to 250 online movement videos, including exclusive GoNoodle PLUS videos that bring movement and core-subjects together to develop fluency in grade-specific math and ELA topics.
“We use GoNoodle when we can’t go outside and it’s raining, to be able to stay active. Also when they are getting antsy sitting still at their desks and need to move around. It’s very important for them to be active in this stage in their lives, a lot of times kids are so into the T.V. and technology and it’s important for them to get up and exercise,” said Pleasant Grove kindergarten teacher, Lindsey Head.
More than 22,000 students at 59 elementary schools in the Texarkana area have access to GoNoodle’s movement videos at home and at school thanks to the partnership with CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System. A partnership that has grown over the years and brought forth a way in which children can be engaged and reach the recommended 60 minutes of movement a day.
“About five years ago we began looking at what we could do in the community to really make a difference,” said Jim Pomeroy Vice President of Mission Integration. Pomeroy went on to explain the importance of GoNoodle for the children of the community, which allows them to stay active and develop healthy habits they will carry throughout their lives.
“You are the heart and souls of who we are as a community, you are going to the the Michael Wachas,” added Pomeroy.
Students from Fairway Elementary, Westlawn Elementary, Liberty Eylau Elementary, and Pleasant Grove Elementary came together Tuesday morning to dance, run and even answer math questions while doing so.
Chris Karam, President and CEO of CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System spoke to students about the importance of healthy habits and the health problems that can come from a lack or exercise, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and even heart disease.
“We love you and we want you to be healthy, eat right and get plenty of sleep. You are out next generation of leaders,” said Karam.
