Windows Open, Laughter In: How Physical Education Grants Keep Warwick Kids Moving

Windows Open, Laughter In: How Physical Education Grants Keep Warwick Kids Moving

Physical education is a beloved class for many elementary school students, and when the bicycles roll out at John R. Bonfield Elementary, it’s hard not to notice. Teachers look outside to watch their students pedal around the school, and a few open their windows just to hear their laughter.

“Teachers told me more than once how much fun they had looking out their classroom windows and seeing the kids pedaling around our school,” wrote Rachel Post, the physical education teacher who brought the bikes to Bonfield.

Here is the part that may be surprising: for many of those students, it was their very first time on a bike. They learned traffic rules and hand signals, and many now have a new activity to share with their families at home.

A Different Kind of Childhood

Anyone who grew up in Warwick a generation or two ago probably spent much of their childhood outside, on a bike or in a pickup game. Kids today have wonderful technology to learn with, but that also means more hours spent sitting in front of a screen and fewer moving around.

That’s why the Ed Foundation has supported physical education for more than a decade. We know active children show significant improvements in attention, concentration, and psychological well-being, along with physical health gains.**

Confidence You Can Watch Grow

The proof shows up in what students say. After scaling the Foundation-funded climbing wall at Bonfield, one student told Post, “I can’t believe I climbed to the top! I am afraid of heights, and I never thought I could do something like that!” Post says students’ confidence has grown as they try new things, and many have asked their parents to take them to other climbing spots on weekends.

At Kissel Hill Elementary, physical education teacher Steve Berkey sees the climbing wall as opening a door for students who never signed up for a team. “Some students do not get involved in team sports,” he said, “and climbing is an alternative to the traditional sports and activities.” He says it helps students set goals and build confidence in their abilities. His autistic support classes love the wall’s colors and textures, and other students arrive eager to share where they have climbed around the community, from Rec Rock to Spooky Nook.

Thank You to the Teachers and Donors

Each of these projects started with a teacher who saw a way to get kids moving and a donor who said yes. Thank you to the teachers who put in the work, and to the donors who make it possible.

Ready to help fund the next grant? Visit warwickef.org/support to give today.

**https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9915543/#abstract1