Taking a hike

Mike Sciacca

If you look alongside a trail that runs adjacent to Thurston

Middle School, you can see, on certain days of the week, students

trekking up and down the hillside terrain.

No, they are not trying to escape the confines of the campus. They

are taking part in a first-time program offered through the school’s

physical education department.

A “trail hike” for students at all levels takes place twice a

week.

The goal of the program, physical education teacher Scott Finn

says, is to give the students a good cardiovascular workout while

emphasizing their need to learn the benefits of their target heart

rate and recovery heart rate.

“It’s a fun way for them to get in a cardio workout,” Finn said.

“The students enjoy getting outdoors and exercising in a new way.”

Thurston eighth-grade student Tyler Stanaland agrees.

“We have a great time out there,” said Stanaland, a water polo

player who is also a member of the Thurston surf team.

“I enjoy the hike because it’s a lot more fun than running in

circles on the track,” he said. “We get to go through the canyon and

explore along the way. I think something like this makes students

want to work out even more.”

The hike, which comes under strict supervision, takes place on a

trail adjacent to the school and winds down through Laguna Canyon.

The trail, a carved-out fire trail, features several elevation

changes which allows for a solid cardio workout.

Not only that, it provides them a scenic outdoor classroom.

Principal Chris Duddy has even joined students on the excursion.

The program was implemented this school year The school is

undergoing major construction, which has infringed on the track,

blacktops and playing fields.

The project includes the construction of a new gymnasium and a

performing arts wing.

Thurston’s physical education department, comprising of

instructors Finn, Carrie Leventhal, Penny Dressler, Linda Erickson

and Chairwoman Wendy Hughes, met this past summer and broke down its

curriculum into four segments for the 2002-03 school year, Finn said.

The four areas were cardio-respiratory, tradition sports,

recreational activities and adventure projects.

The trail hike falls under the cardio-respiratory category, he

said.

“We teach the kids how to learn the equation to determine their

target heart rate, which typically for students their age is 135 to

175 beats per minute,” Finn said. “That is the range they want to

keep their heart rate at in order to reach cardio/respiratory

benefits. It’s not only a great cardio workout, but also is

educational in that they get to see nature first-hand and are in a

social setting with other students.

“When we instructors sat down this past summer to talk about our

curriculum, we wanted to design a physical education curriculum that

met the needs of the students, rather than have the students meet the

needs of the curriculum,” he said. “They all seem to really enjoy

this portion of our program.”

* MIKE SCIACCA covers sports for the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. He can be reached at 494-4321 or by e-mail at

michael.sciacca@latimes.com.