By By ERIN VER BERKMOES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - Brandywine students are all about physical activity.
And they are being rewarded for their efforts.
Students at Brandywine Elementary kicked off the second year of their Mileage Club on Wednesday.
Siobhan Brugemann, a teacher at the elementary school, received information last year about starting a club to promote walking as a physical activity for the students at the school.
At the kick off celebration, Brugemann challenged the students to walk 2,000 miles this school year through the program.
Participating in the Mileage Club is a way for the students to get exercise while they are outside for recess.
As a side benefit, Brandywine officials have found participation in the club has helped reduce behavioral problems on the playground while the students are outside, Brugemann added.
Student participants in the Mileage Club walk around a mile-long marked course on the school's playground. For each five miles walked, students receive a foot-shaped token. When they walk 25 miles, they receive a No. 25 token and the same when they walk 50 miles. Throughout the year, the tokens can be used to purchase incentive prizes valued at varying “mile” amounts.
Brandywine Community Schools Superintendent Gary Rider attended Wednesday's kickoff celebration and walked the first mile with the students.
By instilling the importance of physical activity at the elementary school level, it's hoped that physical activity is something the youngsters will value throughout their lives, Rider said.