Hilton High School students in Michael Ellicott’s Sports, Exercise and Health Science class are challenging other students around Hilton and around the world to get 60 minutes of physical activity every day. The class is participating in the Burp It On challenge, which involves 50 burpees, 100 jumping jacks, 15 minutes of running/jumping and three minutes of wall sits. A burpee, also known as a squat thrust, is completed in four steps – dropping to the ground in a squat position, kicking the feet back with arms extended, back to the squat and them jumping up.
Burp It On originated on January 12 with grade five and six students at Deseronto Public School in Ontario, Canada. Their goal was to get schools around Canada and even the world to join them in getting the word out that “physical inactivity” is not okay. As of February 9, they have 61 schools on four continents, eight countries, five provinces and 15 states participating in the challenge. Hilton High School is number 43 in the world to Burp It On.
Hilton senior Sophia Rivituso, who works out every day and does CrossFit, knows the importance of exercise in her own life. “Exercise helps me focus on school and gets my frustrations out,” she said.
Junior Brian Wilkin is challenging himself with the International Baccalaureate level course because he wants to explore the field of health science in preparation for a possible career as a physical therapist. Senior Gabrielle Prince is also interested in a career in physical therapy. “Physical fitness is important for everyone’s health and longevity,” she said. Gabrielle works out three to five times a week either at the YMCA or at home.
The students are challenging a physical education class in each of the other four Hilton schools to Burp It On, in addition to Charlestown Community School in Manchester, England where Ellicott’s sister, Amy Hague, teaches. They even created a video to get the classes motivated: http://hilton.k12.ny.us/news/BurpItOn.htm
For other information on Burp It On, visit http://burpiton.weebly.com/
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