Area students are physically fit

Paula Pisani

He’s a gift from God.

That’s how Fulton Middle School seventh-grader Ryan Vu describes physical

education teacher Harold Burnett.

Before Vu had Burnett as a teacher, he knew nothing about nutrition,

couldn’t run fast and wasn’t too hip on exercise.

Fountain Valley School District officials would definitely describe the

15-year physical education veteran as a gift to the district.

Under Burnett’s instruction last year, fifth- and seventh-grade students

in the district performed better than the state average in the 1999

spring Fitnessgram, the state-mandated fitness test required for students

in fifth, seventh and ninth grades. Other districts in the area also did

well.

The fitness test assesses cardiovascular endurance, body fat percentage,

abdominal strength and overall endurance.

In both grades, those who fell below the fitness zone still scored higher

than the state average by up to 29%, the fitness report for the district

shows.

Burnett’s seventh-grade students tested this week for the 2000 fitness

program. Their chore Tuesday: Run a mile in less than 10 minutes.

But before they lined up on the track, Burnett and co-teacher Lorna

Kuykendall put the students through the paces of various stretches.

“This is an activity-based class,” Burnett said. “We have instruction,

then the activity. But we have daily stretches, sit-ups and push-ups

before the activity.”

While the 110 blue-shirted students raced around the track, Burnett

shouted encouragement.

“Great job! Keep going! Don’t stop!” he yelled.

The physical education course includes written assignments on health and

nutrition, as well as community service such as collecting pledges for

the American Heart Assn., and lots of motivation.

Burnett even encourages the children to to eat fruits and vegetables, one

student said.

And the encouragement seems to be working. Burnett congratulated one boy

for running his fastest time ever. Students Brett Carr and Nicole Poteraj

were the first boy and girl to finish the race at 5 minutes 37 seconds

and 6:10, respectively.

“Compared to the state, we did quite well, particularly in seventh grade

because we have a more formal program,” said Catherine Follett, assistant

superintendent of instruction.

At the elementary level, every teacher instructs physical education. In

middle school, the course is taught by teachers hired specifically for

that purpose.

Follett recommended that fifth-graders have the opportunity to

participate in mile runs. Those students now partake in other activities,

such as jumping rope and aerobics.

Other fifth- and seventh-graders in the area also have reason to brag.

Ocean View School District students performed “definitely better than the

state,” said Karen Colby, assistant superintendent of curriculum and

instruction.

Colby said that district’s scores were some of the highest in Orange

County.

“We have a very strong physical education program. We’ve made a strong

commitment to physical fitness,” Colby said.

Part of that commitment includes an awards program for students and

instruction on nutrition, she said.

Lynn Bogart, director of curriculum and instruction for the Huntington

City School District, said students averaged higher scores on the 1999

testing than they did the year before.

“We had 2% more of our fifth-grade students meet or exceed standards

according to the state this year than in the 1998-1999 school year,”

Bogart said. “One percent more of our seventh-grade students met or

exceeded the standards.”

Burnett expects his students to do even better on the 2000 Fitnessgram

than they did in 1999.