Garner Middle School sixth-grader Stephen Surrey loves coming to school.
In fact, he loves coming to school early. That’s because he and a couple hundred of his friends get to play before school starts.
“It’s fun. We play pick-up games,” said Surrey. “I look forward to coming to school now cause I get to have some fun.”
When this started, there were just a couple dozen kids playing basketball. Now, so many kids are playing it’s hard to tell where one game ends, and another begins.
There are groups of students playing bump-set-spike in the courtyard. Pick-up basketball games are happening under every available hoop. And students are tossing footballs over nets on the tennis courts. They are getting exercise, solving problems and having fun.
And all of that is helping them in the classroom.
“This is really helping our kids focus,” said Principal John Bojescul. “They used just to have to sit in the mornings. Now they are getting to run around and let that energy out in a positive way. The kids love it. The teachers love it.”
Surrey admits he didn’t always look forward to early mornings at school, but he does now. He says he’s calmer in the classroom and ready to learn.
Teachers have noticed a difference in a lot of their students.
“It’s definitely calmed them down,” said seventh-grade science teacher Julie Rogers. “It’s fantastic. Our kids need it. It’s giving them something to look forward to. It gets their energy out. It wakes them up. I am having fun with it too.”
Finding ways to make positive changes #theNEISDway
