REDONDO BEACH – Redondo Beach Unified School District (RBUSD) and Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) have partnered in an effort to help curb childhood obesity with a morning workout routine operating at all eight Redondo Beach elementary schools. At least four days a week, thousands of students from seven schools gather across their respective playgrounds for eight minutes of cardiovascular exercises while the eighth school participates two days a week.
The morning workout, part of BCHD’s LiveWell Kids program, has been gaining momentum in recent years. This is the first year that seven of the eight Redondo Beach elementary schools are participating at least four days a week. Last year, all eight schools were doing two days a week. This is also the first year teachers have been leading the exercises every morning.
“I complete the exercises with the class and have been surprised by the impact it has had on me,” said Melanie Sullivan, a fourth grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary. “I start my day laughing and smiling.”
Research has shown that mental sharpness is increased post-workout. Since implementing the morning exercises, RBUSD test scores overall have risen from last year. Although there is no direct link between the higher test scores and the morning workout, Sullivan has noticed her students are more calm and ready to learn on days that they exercise in the morning.
“I have noticed that after the exercises they are more alert and better about participating in class discussions right away,” she said.
The LiveWell Kids program started as a pilot childhood obesity program about five years ago at Lincoln Elementary. A garden was built there and a nutrition program was started. During that time, additional physical education, including games and activities, was brought during lunchtime and after school. After about two years and five schools participating in LiveWell Kids, BCHD Youth Services Program Coordinator Donna Murany, began some research on the effects of exercising in the morning.
“We first tried to implement five minutes in the mornings,” she said. “Because the program was so new, the schools wanted to start off slow and not have all the components, but they soon realized the benefits of performing exercises first thing in the morning.”
Today, after just two years, the morning activities component of LiveWell Kids is going strong. Teachers are now leading the eight-minute morning workout at seven of the eight Redondo Beach elementary schools at least four days a week, with some schools even doing five days a week.
In addition to the morning activities, LiveWell Kids also teaches children about nutrition and healthy eating habits. Each school has a garden that students take care of and harvest. Parent docents also come to the school to teach nutrition lessons.
Beach Cities Health District is a public agency dedicated to enhancing individual and community health and wellness through preventive health programs in the Southern California cities of Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach. Among its many services are the Center for Health and Fitness, a full-service gym; AdventurePlex, a health and fitness center created for youth; emotional and logistical support to the elderly and disabled; health classes and screenings; free health information and referrals for the underinsured;
