Grant spotlight: Oh, Give Me A Home Where Dragons Can ROAM!

Over the summer, the brand new walking track at Collierville Middle School was completed! This state-of-the-art walking track has been a hit among teachers and students at CMS. Collierville Education Foundation is proud to have assisted in funding the track alongside the CMS Parent Teacher Association. Keep reading to learn more about the newest addition to the school and how the walking track benefits everyone!

Fun for everyone

The track is truly worth the investment – it is consistently used by different groups of people for several unique purposes! The PE classes visit the track six times throughout the school day. In PE, students can walk laps, sprint, time their runs, do interval training and more. The track is also a safer option for students to walk, jog, and run on, as it’s free of holes, uneven seams, and mud, which can create slipping and tripping hazards, especially after it rains. Students love to take a break from working at their desks to breathe fresh air, move around and get energy out!

Community

Not only do students love their new track, but the teachers are enjoying it as well! They formed an after-school walking group, inspired by the new addition. After school, they meet up and exercise while discussing their lesson plans and activities for the next day. The walking track is not only great for physical health but also for mental health, as it gives walkers an emotional outlet and a place for social connection. The strengthened relationships that have been built through walking together is one invaluable, but unanticipated, benefit of the new track!

Health benefits

Along with the strengthened community benefits, the track is also a data-backed tool for promoting physical health. The benefits of walking are powerful – with the American Heart Association reporting, “One study, published in The Lancet in 2011, found even 15 minutes of light exercise each day could reduce the risk of dying from any cause by 14% during an average eight years of follow-up.” Getting your body moving and hitting around 7,000 steps a day is key to living a healthier life and expanding your lifespan. By exercising on the track in PE class, students are already forming healthy habits and learning to appreciate the joy of consistent movement. While a daily walk might seem small, it contributes to a healthier overall lifestyle by building the foundation for a simple fitness routine.

If you’d like to help contribute to future projects like this one, please consider making a donation!