>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO CONNECTING POINT.
I'M JIM MADIGAN.
SPRINGFIELD'S BROOKING SCHOOL WAS HIT HARD BY THE JUNE 2011
TORNADO, THAT TORE THROUGH THE CITY, THE STUDENTS, 98% OF WHOM
LIVE BELOW THE PROPERTY LINE FIND THEMSELVES DISPLAYED.
NOW, BROOKINGS HAS BEEN REBUILT, AND THEY START WITH SOMETHING
CALLED THE 100-MILE CLUB TO IMPROVE FITNESS AND ATTENDANCE.
CONNECTING POINT CONTRIBUTOR CAROLEE MCGRATH VISITS THE
SCHOOL, AND SHARES THEIR STORY IN THIS AMERICAN GRADUATE
REPORT.
>> THIS PROGRAM IS PART OF AMERICAN GRADUATE, LET'S MAKE IT
HAPPEN.
A PUBLIC MEDIA INITIATIVE MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR
PUBLIC BROADCASTING.
>> ON A COLD MARCH MORNING WHEN MOST PEOPLE WOULD RATHER SLEEP
IN, THESE KIDS GET TO SCHOOL AN HOUR EARLY, BUT BEFORE THEY HIT
THE BOOKS, THEY WAKE UP WITH A MORNING WORKOUT IN THE GYM OF A
LICE BROOKINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN SPRINGFIELD.
>> YOU CAN DO IT, DANNY.
TOO LATE.
EVERYBODY BACK IN THE LINE, PLEASE.
>> THESE KIDS ARE PART OF THE 100-MILE CLUB, A FITNESS
INCENTIVE PROGRAM AT BROOKINGS.
THE KIDS GET TO WALK, RUN, PLAY SILLY GAMES.
AND A LITTLE OLD SCHOOL KICKBALL.
MR.
T., THE JIM TEACHER, AND THE NURSE STARTED THE PROGRAM.
>> IT'S FISHY.
>> LET ME KNOW.
>> THEY KEEP THE KIDS MOVING, LAUGHING.
AND ARE QUITE A TEAM.
>> YOU ARE ON TV, PAM.
>> I LOOK PRETTY GOOD.
>> HOW MANY DO WE HAVE LEFT?
ALL RIGHT, THERE IS IT.
LET'S GO.
>> IT WAS PAM'S FITNESS CHALLENGE A FEW YEARS BACK THAT
PUT THE BALL IN MOTION.
>> IT WAS THE END OF MY FIRST YEAR HERE, 2013, PAM WAS RUNNING
HER BIGGEST LOSER COMPETITION.
WE BOTH WANTED TO WIN THE CONTEST, AND IT LED INTO KIDS
ASKING WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
AND WE ARE WALKING IN A CIRCLE, DO YOU WANT TO JOIN US?
ONE KID WAS TWO KIDS WAS TEN KIDS, AND WE WERE LIKE, WE HAVE
SOMETHING HERE.
>> THE COACH DID A LITTLE RESEARCH AND FOUND THE 100-MILE
CLUB, A NATIONAL PROGRAM STARTED BY AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER
IN CALIFORNIA.
THE PROGRAM MEETS EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND FRIDAY FROM 7:45
TO 8:30.
THE GOAL IS FOR THE KIDS TO GET TO 100 MILES BY THE END OF THE
YEAR.
>> HOW MANY MILES DO WE HAVE?
>> I THINK 68, OR 78 MILES.
>> SO YOU HAVE TO GET 100 BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR?
>> YEAH.
>> YOU HAVE GOT TO GET MOVING.
CAN YOU DO IT?
>> YEAH.
>> EVERY 15 MINUTES OF PLAYING OR WALKING IS ONE MILE, AND THE
KEY IS THEY ARE HAVING A BLAST.
JUST ASK FIVE-YEAR-OLD J.J.
>> DID YOU PLAY KICKBALL?
>> OH, YEAH.
>> J.J.
RUN!
>> I ALMOST KICKED IT.
>> YOU DID?
DID YOU GET ON BASE?
>> OH, YEAH.
AND THEN SAY GOT TO HOME AGAIN.
>> IF YOU ARE A RUNNER OR GO TO THE GYM, YOU KNOW YOU FEEL
BETTER AFTER YOU WORK OUT.
THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE KIDS AND THE TEACHERS SAY, NOT ONLY
DO THEY FEEL BETTER, BUT THEY ARE DOING BETTER IN SCHOOL, AS
WELL.
>> WE HAVE SEEN ATTENDANCE IMPROVEMENTS, ACADEMIC
IMPROVEMENTS.
>> WE HAVE SEEN IMPROVEMENTS IN SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS.
WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF POSITIVE BENEFITS.
>> THE ATTENDANCE NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING.
THERE IS LIKE A THREE ABSENCE DIFFERENCE FOR KIDS IN THE
PROGRAM AND KIDS NOT IN THE PROGRAM, AND OVER FIVE TARDY'S,
IMPROVEMENTS FOR KIDS WHO COME AND WALK IN THE MORNING.
>> 80% OF THE STUDENTS AT BOOKINGS WITH A PERFECT
ATTENDANCE ARE IN THE 100-MILE CLUB.
>> DO YOU FEEL IT HELPS YOU GET READY FOR THE DAY WHEN YOU
EXERCISE?
>> YES.
>> WHY?
>> BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN I DON'T RUN, I AM VERY TIRED.
>> WALKING HELPS ME GET EXERCISE, AND ANY TIME THAT I GO
HOME, I AM TIRED.
>> EVEN FAMILIES ARE GETTING IN ON THE ACTION.
AUDRA JENKINS WALKS WITH HER NEPHEW.
>> WE GET TO TALK ABOUT OUR DAY WHILE WE ARE WALKING.
AND EVEN IF HE'S WALKING WITH HIS FRIENDS, I GET TO WATCH HIM
WALK.
>> SHE AND HER HUSBAND WALK WITH THEIR KIDS, TOO.
>> HAVE YOU SEEN AN IMPROVEMENT IN HOW YOUR KIDS ARE DOING IN
SCHOOL?
>> ACTUALLY, I DID.
THE FOCUS IS MORE.
LEARNING MORE, AND I DID FEEL AN IMPROVEMENT.
>> KEEP ON WALKING WITH ME.
>> WALKING.
>> OK, HERE WE GO.
>> SO THESE STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND PARENTS WILL LOG MORE THAN
15,000 MILES THIS YEAR.
BUT, THIS NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT NURSE PAM AND
MR.
T. >> OH, COME ON.
TAKE MY SPOT.
>> PRINCIPAL PAUL GRABBED THE MIC TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID NOT
MISS THAT.
>> THESE TWO PEOPLE ARE AMAZING.
THEY VOLUNTEERED THREE DAYS OUT OF THE WEEK FOR THEIR KIDS, FOR
THEIR FAMILIES, AND FOR THE STUDENTS.
AND IN ORDER FOR A PROGRAM LIKE THERE TO THRIVE, YOU NEED
DEDICATED STAFF MEMBERS LIKE THIS.
>> NO, NO.
DON'T TAKE HIM, NO TAGGING.
STAY THERE.
>> AND THE HOPE IS THAT WITH EACH STEP, THE KIDS ARE GETTING
STRONGER AND BETTER IN THE CLASSROOM AND ON THE COURT.
REPORTING FOR CONNECTING POINT, I'M CAROLEE MCGRATH.