JACKSON INTRAMURALS TEACH LIFE SKILLS

Sixth-grader Damien Heuring, left, returned the ball during a game of intramural pingpong while Matt Gregory watched. Sixth- and seventh-graders have been enjoying pingpong, kick ball, volleyball and basketball since the program began this year.

Johnny Gast, right, slapped the ball away from Lance Bolling during a game of basketball after lunch at Jackson Middle School. Sixth- and seventh-graders have lunch and then about 20 minutes of exercise.

JACKSON -- Students are enjoying food, fitness and fun during lunchtime at Jackson Middle School.

After a quick meal in the cafeteria, sixth- and seventh-graders are running into the gymnasium for a ballgame as part of the school's pilot intramural program. The program has been very successful this year, and teachers hope it will be expanded next year to include even more students and activities.

T-shirts, trophies and bragging rights are at stake during the games, which were developed to teach kids how to stay healthy. Winners of the round-robin tournaments also get to hear the names of their teams announced each morning over the school loudspeaker.

"We're teaching lifetime skills out there," said physical education teacher and program volunteer Josie Glueck. "We're trying to teach them to find something, anything they want to do and build on it."

The program is set up with athletic tournaments for various sports, including basketball, volleyball, kickball and pingpong. Sixth-graders form classroom teams for their group competition, and seventh-graders form their own teams.

"I think this gives them the chance to succeed with groups they feel comfortable with," Glueck said. "We've got 100 percent participation from the sixth-graders, and out of 300 seventh-graders we've got 180 to 190 participating. I think that says a lot."

Glueck said the program helps students learn to work in groups and to develop individual skills. It also builds the physical equation program because the students use skills they learn in their P.E. classes.

It also helps build self-esteem because students don't worry about not being the best at a sport and are able to concentrate on having fun.

"Right now it's a chance they're getting to participate without feeling they're getting penalized for not having a lot of skill," Glueck said. "Everybody gets to play, so everyone has a chance to get out there and have fun."

Sixth-grader Erin Mayfield, 11, said she enjoys the program because it's voluntary and because everyone gets to be involved. It's also fun to have the floating trophy in the classroom after winning a tournament, she said.

"When we win, it's like a big accomplishment," said Mayfield. "It sits up in our room and other classes come in and look at it. It's pretty neat."

Glueck said the program also allows teachers to show they care about the students and their interests. "The teachers are always coming in and out to see how their kids are doing," she said. "The kids appreciate it when the teachers come in because they are showing they care. That's one of the main things we hope they get out of this."