Switch Day

MT. PLEASANT — The 2021-22 school year has brought many returns to normalcy including Switch Day.

April 20 Mt. Pleasant area schools wrapped up a year with the Iowa State Extension Office’s Switch program.

All fourth and fifth grade students from the district took turns attending a Switch Day field trip.

Throughout the school year the district’s fourth and fifth grade classrooms participated in two rotations of “do, chew, and view.”

For a total of four weeks each class would learn and work in each area of the program.

“Do” consisted of encouraging students to get active.

A number of students at the Switch field trip quoted that “do” weeks were all about getting at least one hour of exercise a day.

“My daughter loves her activity goals,” Salem Elementary parent Kali Watson said of the program.

For the end of program field trip students were able to swim, dance, exercise, play, make their own lunches, and learn at the library.

“Chew” encouraged students to try new foods and get five servings of fruits or vegetables in every day.

“View” weeks consisted of learning about healthy habits through videos or lessons.

The REC Center is happy to host all of the students and they have staff that plan all the activities for the students.

“It’s a great opportunity for kids without memberships to get to experience fitness and the REC Center,” REC Center Executive Director Ryan Duffie said.

Fifth graded Ruby Syfert was a Switch ambassador who took ideas she learned to her peers and promoted the program.

“It helps us get our heart beat up and gets us healthier,” Syfert said of why she liked “do” weeks best.

“Switch is one of the most fun things I’ve done this year with my class,” Syfert said of the program overall.

The Switch program has grant funding, but the field trip was also made possible through donations from Kiwanis, The REC Center, West Liberty Foods, 4H Extension Office, The Fellowship Cup, and First United Methodist Church of Mt. Pleasant.

The consensus from students, teachers, parents, staff, and even community members was overwhelmingly in favor of the program.

All those involved are excited to continue the program into the future.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com