The sounds of running, laughing, chattering, huffing, and puffing fill the air each morning around St. Patrick’s Interparish School. Thanks to the Morning Mile, every day before the school day starts, kids of all ages empty onto the huge field to burn off energy and have some fun. Parents come, too, to sit and watch from the sideline or even join in for a run or walk.
“It starts the day off right by getting the kids blood running, and allowing them to hang out with their friends,” said Jason Hasko, a parent of a child at the school. “It also benefits me because I get to hang with my kids before work.”
The Morning Mile has made a positive impact on both the children and the parents of St. Patrick’s Interparish School for a plethora of reasons. Not only do they get to spend a little extra time with each other before they go their separate ways for the day, but they are doing it in an active way. Since some families do not have time for physical activity after school and work, this allows them to sneak it in before they get their day started.
“The Morning Mile has benefited my son specifically because we work late, so we have no time for exercise in the afternoon,” Jeremy Hester, another parent, said.
Showing kids the importance of physical activity at a young age is crucial for developing healthy habits later in life. The earlier they learn about it, the more likely it will become ingrained in their minds. There is no better way of learning something than actually participating in the act.
“It is a healthy way to start the day, and starts habits for when the kids get older,” explains Jackie Boudreaux. “The Morning Mile has also helped my kids get in better shape for other sports.”
All of the parents agreed that they had nothing negative to say about the Morning Mile. They all believed that other schools should start it, if they have not already. Not only have they seen physical benefits in their children, but they have also seen mental benefits in the students as well. Melanie Bleigh and Jackie Boudreaux both expressed how it has helped the students with classroom discipline and with focus in class.
“It has also given them an incentive to arrive to school early, allowing them to socialize and build a community before going into the classroom,” Boudreaux and Bleigh said.
Some of the best outcomes of the Morning Mile have been the physical and mental benefits that the parents have been noticing in their children. Not only do the parents love that, but the kids have been having a blast walking and running each morningl. One of the main sources of motivation for the kids to get up and run in the morning has been the competitive drive. Working towards a goal of seeing how many laps they can run, and how many rubber shoes they can conjure up, has kept them inspired to try their best.
“The kids love the competition and really try to push themselves,” Hasko explained.
The program has made a great impact on St. Patrick Interparish School. The positives include things such as physical activity, mental focus, developing healthy habits, building community, socialization, and much more. And as for the negatives of the morning mile? Well, there are none.
St. Patrick’s Morning Mile program is sponsored by:
