A school in Iowa is swapping out traditional physical education activities, like soccer or dodgeball, for good old fashioned yard work.
The Alternative Learning Center (ALC) in Dubuque, Iowa is now offering its students the option to receive physical education credit by helping senior citizens or people with disabilities with their landscaping needs.
But the program doesn’t just help those with lawn care needs, it benefits the students as well.
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The school is an alternative setting for students in their junior or senior year of high school who have struggled to succeed at more conventional schools. The students are often at risk of dropping out of school altogether. ALC allows them to focus on project-based and independent learning opportunities that are created to get them back on the path toward graduation.
The landscaping program, in particular, has enabled the students to build meaningful relationships within the community. The kids assist the homeowner with whatever tasks they need, including pulling weeds, raking, mowing, cutting bamboo, cleaning gutters and tending to chicken coops. The program runs a couple of hours a day during the last few weeks of school.
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ALC Teacher Tim Hitzler commented that this alternative option to P.E. class is a great incentive for them to give back while getting a workout at the same time. He believes that the act of helping others is what makes the program so impactful and compelling. He said:
“The students aren’t typically too excited at the beginning but once they get involved and start doing the yard work they become more motivated. What they really like is … helping people. They really like giving back to people and meeting the person.”
Plus, common yard work activities – like trimming hedges and mowing the lawn – offer a beneficial cardio and strength building workout. And just as important, they give the satisfaction of a job well done for someone who needs and appreciates it.
Besides the landscaping program, there are other activities students can choose from to fulfill their PE requirements, such as cleaning up golf courses or a river barge.
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In fact, the program is so successful that many students choose to continue volunteering over the summer. Hitzler added:
“I’ve had students that graduated that have come back to help. There’s something about helping people that really need it.”
What a wonderful and meaningful idea! What do you think of this program? I think many certainly would have preferred this to some of the more aggressive contact sports!
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