Mangalore:- It is a well-knownfact that School is the first place where habits are formed. This year due to the pandemic children were compelled to shut themselves within the four walls of their house because of which their habits have lost way. Today the need of the hour is to educate them about the means of overcoming obesity, stress and anxiety through regular exercise, thus enhancing self-esteem and confidence in them.
A week long fitness programme under the banner “Fit India School Week”is thought off to be celebrated virtually by Shakthi Residential School from 22nd December to 30thDecember stated the Physical Director Sreenivas B. M.
Our Fitness coordinator Swathi Bharath briefed the Students, parents and staff about the strategy employed to convey the need to remain fit.
Accordingly, a Virtual Assembly with Free hand exercises, Fun and Fitness with Aerobics, Dance forms, Rope Skipping, Hopscotch, Zig Zag and Shuttle Running was demonstrated on day 1. Bhaskara N, our Social Science teacher educated our students on the “Need for exercise in everyday life”.
On day 02 , Virtual Assembly performing Common Yoga Protocols,Brain Games to improve concentration or problem solving capacity such as Chess, Rubik’s cube is planned. Aruna Mallya, Dietician from Kasturba Medical College, Mangaluru will brief Students, Staff & Parents on“Diet and Nutrition during the Pandemic”.Ultimately to educate them on the lines “Exercise is a celebration of what your body can do, not a punishment for what you ate”.
Poster making competition on theme “Hum Fit Toh India Fit” or “New India Fit India” under the able leadership of our Art teacher Poornesh P is scheduled for day 3 along with Mental Fitness Activities for Students, Staff and Parents.
Day 4 will be very vital for the ones planning to get back to their work place and School. A Lecture on “Re-strengthening of the mind post pandemic” will be presented by Vidya Kamath G, Principal, Shakthi Residential School, Mangaluru.
Essay and Poem Writing Competition on the theme“Fitness beats pandemic” will be taken up for students and staff under the guidance of our Kannada teachers Akshatha and Sharanappa.
Podcast/Movie making on suggested themes – “Get fit, don’t quit”; “Mental Health is not a destination but a journey”.
5th Day, students’ knowledge in Sports and Fit India Movement will be tested through an Online Quiz by our Computer Instructor Deepthi G. Virtual challenges for students and staff such as Squats challenge, Step-up challenge, jumping jack, Rope skipping and plank posture will be assigned.
The last day of the Fitness week will be a day dedicated to Family Fitness: This involves activities for fitness sessions at home involving students and parents by creatively using home-based equipment for sports & fitness. E.g. Aluminum foil inside a sock ball and any wooden piece bat to play cricket Mosquito bat and TT ball to play badminton or tennis.
The prime objective of the movement is to bring about a change for children from spending “Passive Screen Time” to “Active Field Time”.These activities not only help students to develop physically but also make them explore the history and indigenous games of India.
“Success and fitness are closely connected. All successful people are fit. Body fit hai toh mind hit hai,” said Narendra Modi. Let us understand that this fitness week has the potential to inspire our students to conquer their fears by keeping themselves healthy, fit and happy.