September 27, 2012 – West Liberty University students and faculty participated in a national effort to “get moving” and focus on physical activity at 10 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 27, when they joined the JAM World Record 2012 promotion.
“We’re proud to be a part of the JAM World Record effort and happy to report that West Virginia led the nation in this physical activity event with its number of JAMmers,” said Melissa Hudson, WLU instructor of health and human performance, the department that has coordinated this healthy effort on the Hilltop campus.
About 75 West Liberty University (WLU)–from Melissa Hudson’s Introduction to Health Education class, Kathleen Wack’s Group Fitness Leadership class, and Cathy Monteroso’s Primary Movements class–participated at West Liberty Elementary, Elm Grove Elementary, and Madison Elementary schools. In addition, WLU student teachers from all content areas and grade levels also participated.
46 students from Kathleen Wack’s Group Fitness Leadership class took the event to another level by leading 425 elementary students in 15 minutes of exercise including a “Fitness is a Good Time” aerobics routine, the “Cupid Shuffle” dance, and Yoga poses from “ABC Yoga for Kids.”
West Virginia posted 124,072 JAMmers signed up for the minute of movement. In second place is Colorado with 79,860 signed up.
“The concept behind the day is to support physical fitness, especially for kids. The goal this year is to reach 2 million JAMmers and our students are pleased to be a part of this important national initiative,” Hudson said. “The most important message we are trying to promote is to get and keep kids moving. Even just a minute starts you thinking that exercise is fun and easy to fit in to your day.”
Kathleen Wack added, “It was a really great experience for both the college students and the elementary students!”