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Schools

Family Fitness Fusion at Skinner Road

Skinner Road School gym teacher Eric Uthgenannt, works to promote family fitness.

Family Fitness Fusion was another successful event at Skinner Road School hosted by Eric Uthgenannt, Skinner's gym teacher. The event was designed for families to participate in physical activities, both inside and outside of school.

FFF had 13 different stations each with a unique interpretation of a regular exercise.

One was the bean bag push-up, which consists of two people - one emptying a bucket of bean bags from a push up position. The person opposite then  places them back into the bucket, from a push up position.

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There was a wide range of exercises ranging from an obstacle course, hurdles, bowling and a scooter track.

FFF is one of many monthly events set up by Uthgenannt, who plans different types of physical activities ranging from hiking on the nature trails, volleyball, bowling, swimming at local pools, and there is always a family movie night one of the months.

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"The goal of this is to promote physical fitness by involving parents in creative activities with their kids, as a way to strengthen our community." Uthgenannt said.

Creating a genuine experience for the students has taken more of a creative approach  but it seems to work each events draws out roughly 20 to 25 families. Uthgenannt said it also helps prepare students for  the Connecticut Physical Fitness test, a good thing because overall standards have been declining.

Uthgenannt also implemented the idea to help keep his students active, and involved with their physical fitness.

The President of the Parent Teacher Organization, Steve Ransom, a participant in FFF, said he felt the event hosted by Uthgenannt was great because Skinner Road School is big advocate and promoter of physical activity such as walking to school twice a month during the spring. School buses drop students off down the street where teachers are waiting, and they make their way to the school.

Even at school fund raisers, if there is a snack that has a high sugar or salt content they make sure to have a variety of different fruits and healthy snacks.

Parents said they enjoy the time they spend with their children at the events hosted by Uthgenannt, and the same can be said about the kids enjoying the time doing physical activities with their parents.

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