‘Day In Motion’ serves and educates

 Gonzaga's Sport and Physical Education program hosted its fifth Day In Motion Wednesday, geared towards educating students from Trinity Catholic Elementary School on the importance of physical activity and overall health.

The partnership between the elementary school and the program began more than a decade ago when Dr. Diane Tunnell, associate professor and department chair of Sport and Physical Education began assisting with the activity portion of the school's annual health fair.

"There was no P.E. specialist at Trinity like there are at public schools," Tunnell said. "We adopted the school as community service years go, and see it as a way we as the program can give back to the Spokane community."

Day In Motion brings more than 150 kids pre-K through sixth grade to the old Kennel for a morning of both physical and educational activities.

Physical Education certification students ran the children through a variety of obstacle courses and physical challenges, while Health and Human Movement students presented different health topics to small groups of students. Topics ranged from proper stretching methods to developing good eating habits.

"Understanding that health begins at childhood shows the students how important it is to educate young people so they know and develop healthy behaviors," said Dr. Karen Rickel, whose Health and Human Movement class participated in the health fair portion of Day In Motion.

"We showed the kids a presentation about personal hygiene," said sophomore Sports Management major Meghan McNeil. "Not only were we educating them, but we actively engaged them by doing activities and demonstrations."

McNeil's presentation covered everything from dental hygiene to how often someone should shower.

Handling such a large group of kids was, at first, a difficulty for some students, but they quickly adjusted and found their groove and personal teaching strategies.

"Controlling the third-graders was the most difficult," said sophomore Ashley Harper, who stretched with the groups and taught them the importance of warming up and preparing before strenuous activity.

"Once we got them competing against each other in games, they gotreally into it," said sophomore Allison White, Harper's presentation partner. "We just had to make sure they were fully engaged and interested if we wanted them to get anything from what we were trying to tell them."

"The most important thing was to keep them interactive, involved, and concentrating," said junior Liam Baron, whose group presented solutions to bullying. "The girls were actually the toughest sometimes."

Not only was Day In Motion beneficial to the kids' knowledge of health and fitness, but also to their school. Students collected pledges that encouraged them to exercise more and start living a healthier lifestyle.

"The kids are required to get so many pledges each," said Sandi Nokesi, the principal of Trinity. "Sponsors donate a one-time amount or pay by the minute for the student to do physical activity."

So far, it is estimated that the elementary school students have raised between $12,000 and $17,000.

According to the teachers, this is one of the school days everyone looks forward to most.
"They were crazy yesterday," said Cathi Cook, who teaches classes throughout Trinity.
"This isn't just one of our major fundraisers, some of the kids would otherwise never be able to come here," Cook said.

"Most of them watch basketball so being here and possibly seeing one of them is a dream to them," Cook said. "Even seeing the pictures on the wall is very exciting for them."
Cook says they're thankful for Trinity's relationship with Gonzaga.
"It's a huge blessing."