Media Release
Mangaluru, Dec 23: It is a well-known fact 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 houses because of which their habits 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 of to be virtually celebrated by Shakthi Residential School from December 22 to 30 stated the physical director, Sreenivas B M.
The 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 were demonstrated on day 1. Bhaskara N, the Social Science teacher educated the students on the 'Need for exercise in everyday life'.
On day 2, a 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, the dietician from Kasturba Medical College, Mangaluru will brief the students, staff and parents on 'Diet and Nutrition during the Pandemic' 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 the theme 'Hum Fit Toh India Fit' or 'New India Fit India' under the able leadership of the 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 workplace and school. A lecture on 'Re-strengthening of the mind post-pandemic' will be presented by Vidya Kamath G, principal of Shakthi Residential School, Mangaluru.
Essay and poem writing competition on the theme 'Fitness beats pandemic' will be taken up for the students and staff under the guidance of the 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'.
On the 5th day, students’ knowledge in sports and the Fit India Movement will be tested through an online quiz by the computer instructor Deepthi G.
Virtual challenges for the 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 and fitness eg 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 the children from spending 'Passive Screen Time' to 'Active Field Time'. These activities not only help students to develop physically but also to 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 the students to conquer their fears by keeping healthy, fit and happy.