Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/2864
says Theresa Marvel, a health teacher at Fillmore High School and president of FUTA. “If these kids have health issues now, what will they be like when they’re 40? We want students to be thinking ahead and making responsible deci- sions.” A new class called Fitness for Life is now in development and should be rolled out next year. PE teacher Kari Hayes says the class will be based on a similar course taught at high schools in Hueneme by two experts — her parents. Ninth-grad- ers who fail the state’s fitness test will be assigned to the class, which will empha- size noncompetitive sports such as water aerobics, stretching and Pilates. “Fitness for Life will really be about students struggling with their BMI [body mass index] because we see a direct link between that and mile time,” explains Hayes. “In regular PE you see obese stu- dents not playing most of the time. They sit out a lot and say that it hurts them to run or exercise. So we’ll teach them other ways to exercise that won’t put stress on their bodies.” The class will also emphasize good nutrition habits, which coincides with the district now providing healthier food in the cafeteria, including two “garden bars” with fresh fruits and vegetables. “Kids will get ex- decided that students were getting heavier every year. More stu- dents were being diag- nosed with type 2 dia- betes. And teachers noticed that students were less willing to participate in PE classes. “We decided the emphasis should be on wellness, getting kids up and moving around and making lifestyle changes,” posed to some new ideas about making bet- ter, healthier choices,” says school nurse Mar- tha Romero. “We’re re- ally hoping that this will be a lifestyle for them — and not just a class. I believe that Fill- more students want to make changes. We just have to give them the tools.” To see how Phil Barletto has linked PE standards to various sports, visit his webpage: www.cuesd.tehama.k12.ca.us/ maywood/staff/barletto/index.htm. save lives & Defibrillators CPR Now the leading cause of death in the U.S., sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) kills nearly 300,000 Americans each year. National fatality rates remain in the 93 to 95 percent range. Studies have shown that immediate CPR and quick access (less than eight minutes) to an automated external defi brillator (AED) can increase survival rates to as high as 30 to 50 percent. One organization that was set up to increase public awareness of the need for AEDs and CPR knowledge is The Travis R. Roy Sudden Cardiac Arrest Fund (www.thetravisfund.org). Founded by Robert Roy after his 14-year-old son suffered cardiac arrest while at school, the fund’s mission is “to raise awareness so others may survive.” Roy explains how Travis had gone 23 minutes without circulation and suffered massive brain cell death. He spent fi ve weeks in pediatric intensive care before his eventual death. “The school nurse gave Travis CPR for 15 minutes before the paramedics arrived, but it wasn’t enough,” says Roy. “If the school had AEDs available, I’m convinced that Travis would be a senior right now, that he’d still be alive.” In 2006, Roy helped to introduce ACR 159, which designated Sept. 12 (Travis’ birthday) as Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Day in California. Through The Travis Fund, Roy seeks to encourage at-risk people to have heart screenings, and to promote CPR training and the placement of AEDs in California public schools and facilities. Dr. Vince Mosesso, medical director for the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association (SCAA), says, “If another disease was killing 300,000 people each year, public health offi cials would be calling it a crisis.” Visit www.cta.org to download the free booklet “Saving Lives in Schools and Sports” published by the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association. february 2009 | www.cta.org 11