Boardman middle school pupils star in exercise video

Boardman middle school pupils star in exercise video

BOARDMAN — Few dispute the value of school textbooks, but as exercise tools?

Several eighth-graders at Center Middle School used their literature and English books as weights as they performed squats, calf raises, chest presses and upright rows for an exercise video their fellow students will watch and follow during homeroom.

It’s part of the school district’s health and wellness policy, said Laura Hancock, Center’s guidance counselor.

One goal of the policy is emphasizing the importance of physical activity.

Each video is just a few minutes long.

“Our principal here is open to all sorts of ideas,” Hancock said. “The only thing he asked is he didn’t want adults to be teaching the exercises in the videos.”

He wanted students to learn from other students.

This marks the second video this year. The first was led by the school’s cheerleaders.