LITTLE ROCK — Video games are evident everywhere these days - even in some school physical education classes.
Administrators at Harmony Grove schools in Saline County have acquired two Nintendo Wii sports programs, which are being used on a trial basis to encourage physical fitness.
The idea to use the Wii sports program in PE classes initially came from Darlene Emmons, journalism teacher and sponsor of the Junior National Honor Society. "The Honor Society does one community service project a year as well as one major school service project a year," she said. Emmons said this year's school service project was to be securing funding for one or more Wii sports programs.
"I was reading recently that a school on the West Coast was using dance pads and a video game, similar to 'Simon Says,'" Emmons said. "That got me to thinking, 'Wouldn't that be a cool PE program ?'
"The problem we see is that many students are inactive and overweight, but most students love video games," she explained in her proposal to the school district's principals - Walt Davis, high school, and Sarah Gober, middle school - and its athletic director, Ricky Mooney.
"I went to the coaches about the Wii sports games, and they were all excited about it," Emmons said.
Emmons said she went online and researched sports grants, noticing "a lot of insurance companies had sports grants available.
"I went to my local insurance representative, and he donated $400 toward the purchase of a Wii sports program with an extra control," she said. "That way, four kids can participate on one machine." The Nintendo Wii sports program includes tennis, golf and bowling.
Emmons said a second Wii sports program has now been secured through Liberty Mutual's Responsible Sports Program. She's also looked at seeking funds from the General Mills Champions for Healthy Kids Program.
Securing the second unit will allow eight students to take part in the program at one time.
"We can rotate use of these programs through the week," Emmons said, adding that the programs will be offered to students in middle and high school.
"I was excited and skeptical at the same time," said Lane Chancellor, who coaches basketball and baseball as well as teaches PE class. "But the kids seem to love it. They love the video game, and they are getting fit at the same time."
Chancellor said one of the Wii sports programs came with the Wii Fit program as well. "This can be used to incorporate the whole class," he said. "It offers different exercise movements; among the activities is having the student stand on one leg while trying to balance his body."
As far as the original Wii sports program goes, Chancellor said students not only learn to play tennis, for example, but also how to keep score.
"Using these computer games to help kids get fit is an experiment," Chancellor said. "But it seems to be working so far.
"The whole purpose of PE is to get thekids to be active and to teach them lifelong sports and skills," Chancellor said.
"It teaches them how to play and how to understand the game. Even if they don't decide to play the game now, they might later on in life, and this will have given them some understanding of the game.
"They will be able to say, 'I've never played the game, but I do know how.'"
Senior Amy Rutledge and ninth-grader Rachel Sexton were among the first students to try Wii Tennis. "I like it," Rutledge said. "I do play regular tennis, and this will help."
"I like it, too," Sexton said. "But I've never played tennis. I might, though, after this."
Tri-Lakes, Pages 58 on 10/09/2008