Learn more about the ASAP Program at ECU

East Carolina University is sponsoring an after school program for students in Pitt County.  This after school program directs children in physical activities through the Department of Kinesiology.   The children can participate in an activity, receive a healthy snack, and then work on their homework through this program.  ECU Health Fitness Specialist majors are the leaders of the after school program.   You can read more in the blog below.


At an hour when many children her age are sitting down to complete their homework, seven-year-old Mckinsey Burt tosses her book bag aside and sprints down a basketball court at East Carolina University.

ECU student Sam Sheppard, right, instructs Mckinsey Burt in an activity using hula hoops. Sheppard is a physical activity leader (PAL) with the ECU After-School Program.

Mckinsey is one of 15 children enrolled in East Carolina University's After-school Activity Program, where Pitt County children ranging in age from five to 12 years old enjoy directed physical activities in a safe and positive environment. At the same time, ECU students who work with the children learn best practices for presenting physical activities and fitness experiences.

ASAP is housed in the Department of Kinesiology and co-directed by ECU professors Rhonda Kenny, Matt Mahar and Grace Anne Vick. Participants pay a fee based on the number of days they attend.

"We flipped the structure of the after-school activity program so that children participate in supervised free play as soon as they arrive," said Kenny. Children receive a healthy snack and the opportunity to complete homework following participation in physical activity.

That structure has worked just fine for Mckinsey, said her mother, Colleen Burt, who is principal of Elmhurst Elementary. "One afternoon she cried when I told her she would not be able to go. That's when we knew that she loved the program," Burt said.

Burt said it is important to get children moving after school since the majority of their seven hours in school is sedentary, and that was the initial reason she and her husband selected the program. She added, "We spent two years trying different programs and just found that she disliked the routines and structure. My daughter became bored, frustrated and would begin asking not to go to after-school."

Laupus Health Sciences Librarian Marlena Barber also has a daughter, Alice, attending ASAP. She said she has seen a positive change in her daughter's behavior since beginning the program.

"I think that is because of the high level of activity and the positivity at ASAP," Barber said.

ASAP participants Jack Shinpaugh, right,, and Sean Raedeke join in a game as part of the after-school program.

ECU health fitness specialist majors in the College of Health and Human Performance serve as physical activity leaders, or PALs. PALs design age appropriate lesson plans that focus on physical activity and submit their plans to the site supervisor, Emily Pineda. Pineda is an ECU graduate student majoring in exercise and sport science with a concentration in physical activity promotion.

"Often students have so many creative ideas," said Pineda."I help PALs learn how to communicate an activity or game to children and the importance of focusing on a couple of objectives so that children grasp the idea."

ECU seniors Ashley Murchison and Deanna Conoscenti enjoyed working with the children as PALs last fall, earning experience that should benefit them in their chosen careers. Murchison said she appreciated learning how to work with a wide range of personalities."You must be able to adapt to effectively teach and play with all of the children," she said.

"This is the most experience I have received working with children," said Conoscenti."I enjoy developing games such as various relay races for children to complete."

"This experience is a great resume builder for students," said Vick."They learn responsibility and the importance of being a good role model." Vick served as a site supervisor for the program when she was a student at ECU.

The program was developed in 2007 to help provide ECU students experience in working with children, Kenny said. She said experience with this population is essential because many venues that offer employment opportunities for graduates – such as commercial and corporate fitness centers, YMCAs and wellness centers – now provide children's programs.

"We looked around and did not see a program with this structure being offered.We didn't want to just offer a class; we wanted to fulfill a need," Kenny said.

"We maintain the quality of the program by training our students how to plan and lead a group of children in appropriate physical activity.We have stayed true to our goal," she said.

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3 Things Rule

Do you have certain things that always end up laying around your apartment?  The "three things" rule can help you clean up your apartment and those pesky little objects that always find their way below the couch or in the chair.  You can learn more at apartment therapy.

1. When you get home, before you settle down to eat, read, or do whatever you do, put away 3 things. They can be anything from nail clippers to a Zappos box, as long as they are put where they belong. The rule to this rule is that these things must be in addition to your normal chores (example: in our house, putting away dishes is a daily chore, so a dish is not eligible as one of the "things").
   
2. If, after you have put your 3 things away, the urge to continue cleaning arises, don't fight it! But more importantly, don't feel pressured to continue when you want to stop. My fiancé got really excited on the first day and went on a cleaning spree, only to burn himself out almost immediately after. As I mentioned before, we are not a cleaning household.
   
3. Adjust your quota accordingly. For us, 3 things per person per day seems to keep us ahead of the clutter, but you may find that you need to increase that number. Just make sure not to overwhelm your chore-hating selves.
   
4. Don't limit yourself to putting things away. You can also include tasks as part of the rule. For instance, you might put away something, pay a bill, and finally package up that Zappos box for return (I'm a fan, can you tell?).

Dance Program Works with Children with Disabilities

The ECU Dance Program is working with children with disabilities.  They love the instruction and the creativity in the movement. The DanceAbility program was designed four years ago to teach children with cognitive and physical disabilities.  You can learn more at ECU.


The tiny, blonde ball of energy peered out from the green drapes at her mother – who watched proudly from the bleachers – until her instructor, East Carolina University professor Boni Boswell, coaxed her back to the other waiting students.

"She loves it," Kim Breault said of her daughter's weekly dance lessons. "She dances all around the house. She knows her moves."

That's a more important benchmark for Mattie than many children, as she is living with Down syndrome. But she's not at all out of place at DanceAbility, an international program adopted by ECU four years ago to teach dance to children with cognitive or physical disabilities.

"One of the things we like to do is really provide an opportunity for each child to go beyond what might be expected of them," said Boswell, program director from the College of Health and Human Performance's Department of Kinesiology.

"We have two areas of goals. One is creative expression, to let them find their characteristic style. The other is we have some physical goals. We do some things that are based purely on helping them physically to develop."

Fifteen students were enrolled in the program last fall, ranging in age from five to 12 and also ranging in ability.

Student volunteers from a variety of majors – including special education, recreation therapy and dance – help keep the program afloat. Juniors Amanda Bertram and Brianna Rinaldi led the young dancers patiently through rehearsals of "the pirate dance" and "Jingle Bells Ballet," which were featured along with several solo performances in a Dec. 5 recital for family and friends.

ECU faculty and students taught dance classes to 15 students ranging in age from five to 12 this fall at Eastern Elementary in Greenville. The students were enrolled in DanceAbility, an international program that offers dance for children with physical and cognitive disabilities. Pictured below, the children prepare for a recital to demonstrate their dancing skills.

"It's great just knowing they're having fun," Rinaldi said. "It gives them an opportunity to be like other kids – to have a dance class."

That feeling of belonging can be hard to come by for children with special needs, explained Blair Holloman, mother of 9-year-old Maggie.

"It feels like sometimes that these kids don't fit anywhere," she said. "Or they only fit for a while. "(Maggie) knows when she's not keeping up. But somewhere like this? She's in her peer group. And here, no one can stand well on one foot."

Greenville dance instructor Erica Brinson assists by leading one of the three classes offered between Tuesday and Thursday each week. Brinson said she most enjoys watching the children grow their abilities and confidence through dance.

"It's a good feeling to know you're making a special difference in someone's life," agreed Rachel Vernon, an ECU senior and special education major from Sanford. She took Boswell's adapted physical education course last fall and attended a couple DanceAbility classes.

"They (the children) teach me a lot, too," Vernon added, "about patience, and also most of my students are always happy and enjoying life."

Another young student clearly enjoying himself during the rehearsal was Kilian Muchoney, age 6, who was born extremely prematurely and had brain surgery to close a gap in his skull just two weeks after birth. He was the original male member of the local DanceAbility program, his mother boasted, though now there are a few others.

"He's come so far," said Melissa Muchoney. "To improve coordination and balance – that was my aim in bringing him here."

It's parents like Muchoney who keep Boswell committed to maintaining the DanceAbility program, which can be difficult in a time when many deserving organizations are competing for resources. Boswell and Brinson are currently seeking assistance with grant writing in hopes of securing state, federal or private funding for DanceAbility. They would like to open the program to more special needs children.

"When I get to see the parents watching (their child perform)…that's a happy moment," Boswell said, beaming. "I think what we all hope that happens is (the children) gain some confidence and gain some self esteem."

DIY Cleaning for the New Year

Did your New Years Resolution involve cleaning your apartment?  You can keep your resolution with these DIY solutions.  Keep reading and check out Apartment Therapy for more information.

 
If you're going into the new year with a pledge to clean, forget the Pledge. Try one of these natural recipes for cleaners and bug repellants that are cheaper, easy to make, and just as effective (or even more so) as commercial store brands. Here are the best of the best from 2013.

1. 10 Natural DIY Citrus Cleaners
2. 10 Best Posts: Getting Rid of Fruit Flies & DIY Fruit Fly Traps
3. Smells Sweet: 5 DIY Air Fresheners
4. 5 Natural DIY Recipes for Cleaning, Polishing & Restoring Wood
5. DIY or Buy: Natural & Eco-Friendly Cleaners
6. Kill Mold Overnight with a Simple DIY Clove Oil & Water Spray
7. DIY Natural Cockroach Repellent Homelife
8. Beat the Mosquitoes: Our Best Tips & Tricks
9. The $1 Cleaning Solution for Cleaning Scuffed Metal Furniture
10. The Ultimate Used Furniture Cleaning Kit

Happy New Year!

We hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

We hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday!

Holidays Away From Home

Are you staying in your apartment for the holiday break?  Take a look at these ten ways to have a great holiday even if you are away from home.  You can learn more at Yahoo.


Tip #1--Remember the real "spirit of Christmas" is one of giving and sharing.

Nothing gets you in the "Christmas spirit" more than being able to help someone else and make their day a little brighter. Just because you can't share Christmas Day with loved ones doesn't mean you can't send cards, letters and packages that let them know you care.

Tip #2--Call home.

Yes, it isn't the same as eating a piece of mom's Christmas pie, but calling and visiting over the phone, or on-line, is the next best thing to being there.

Tip #3-- Attend a Christmas church service.

If you are away from home at Christmas, you may enjoy attending a Christmas church service. Use the local phone directory to find churches in the area, or ask someone for recommendations.

Non-Catholics may even enjoy attending a traditional mid-night mass on Christmas Eve. Most Christian churches of all denominations have special services on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. It serves as a time to celebrate Christ's birth, the true purpose for the Christmas holiday.

Tip #4--Contact the United Way and volunteer for community service.

If you are in the United States, there are local United Way Agencies that can provide you with information on non-profit groups in your area needing Christmas volunteers. Many non-profit groups will gladly welcome you to help with various Christmas activities. They might even find a family to "adopt" you and invite you for a traditional Christmas dinner.

Tip #5--Visit a local nursing home or assisted living center.

Many elderly residents in these facilities are lonely and alone at Christmas time. It can be extremely hard for them to watch other residents being picked up and taken home by their families for the holiday, while they are left behind. From personal experience, I know many would love to have you visit and warmly welcome a little conversation and company.

Ask a nurse or the facility's activities director who could use a little one-on-one attention. If the facility is having a Christmas party, volunteer to help with the festivities. It will help you, and the residents, both feel less lonely making Christmas more joyous for all concerned. If you are going to be in the same area for awhile, you might even choose to "adopt" a foster grandparent to regularly visit during your stay.

Tip #6--Volunteer at a Homeless Shelter or Soup Kitchen

Many non-profit groups need extra help with serving Christmas dinner to the homeless. It would give you an opportunity to stay busy, spending the holiday with others doing a community service that is much appreciated. It also will make you a little more thankful for the blessings you do have.

Tip#7--Postpone traditional Christmas celebrations until you can return home.

This might be an option for those working away from home, but returning soon. Just because the calendar says December 25th doesn't mean you can't wait and practice your own family traditions and celebrations later.

We once postponed Christmas until my husband, who was working and going to an out of state training program could return home. I made a video tape Christmas morning of the boys opening presents in front of the tree and we each recorded a message for him. We sent him the tape to watch, but left the Christmas tree up for two more months until he returned home. Then we had a second celebration when he returned home.

Tip#8--Visit shut-ins.

One of my more memorable Christmas Days was spend four hour's drive from home. My sister-in-law belonged to a community service organization that cooked and delivered free Christmas dinners to the community's shut-ins. The "Meals-on-Wheels" Christmas made us feel better knowing we spent the holiday helping make others' Christmas just a little brighter.

Tip #9--Adopt a child or family for the holiday

If you can afford the added expensive, a wonderful Christmas gesture is to provide Christmas dinner fixings and gifts for a struggling family, especially a single parent with young children.

The Salvation Army and other community service organizations often provide this community service from their donations, but might still need help packaging and delivering these items and might welcome your assistance.

#10--This Christmas, reflect on your blessings

Rather than feel sorry for yourself because you are away from your home and family this holiday, stay busy and count your blessings. You'll feel less blue if you have something constructive to do.

It really doesn't matter where you are or how you choose to celebrate Christmas. It's really a celebration of love and sharing. Its personal significance depends a lot on the traditions you grew up with or practice in your home; they aren't set in stone. Build your own traditions and make Christmas a holiday of love celebrated in your heart no matter where you may be this Christmas Day.