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Barnard Kids “Get Fit, Go Green”

by Melissa Bailey | Dec 15, 2010 1:39 pm

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Posted to: Health Care, Schools, West River

Mirna Rivera took a break from assembling surgical staplers to put together a fitness package for schoolkids—then joined them in the gym to try out the equipment.

Rivera, a 44-year-old grandmother of three, joined about 25 assembly-line workers from Covidien’s North Haven plant in the gymnasium of the Barnard Environmental Studies Magnet School Tuesday morning for a special health event.

Covidien workers were there to present some of the 5,000 “fitness kits” they have put together for public school kids. The delivery aimed to tackle childhood obesity. It was part of a larger effort United Way is coordinating called BOOST to help kids learn better by addressing mental and physical health.

Rivera usually spends her days at the medical devices manufacturer plant just over the North Haven border, putting together small pieces to make surgical staplers. The plant has 2,200 assembly-line workers. She and her coworkers took four days off of that task to form a new assembly line—one for the kids.

Covidien, which is becoming a philanthropic player in New Haven after relocating its corporate offices to Long Wharf, used the opportunity to train its workers in a new kind of assembly-line production called “world class manufacturing,” said operations manager Manuel Tavarez.

Melissa Bailey Photo The kits included a pedometer, a jump rope, a water bottle and a ball and frisbee emblazoned with the Covidien logo. The school cheerleading squad opened up the event with a performance ending in a new motto, “Get Fit! Go Green!” Each of 50 students opened a kit during a morning gym session, then did a series of activities using the new equipment.

School reform czar Garth Harries jumped into the mix with some fast-skipping students. So did Rivera, gaining applause for her skills. (Click on the play arrow at the top of this story to watch a few snippets.)

Harries welcomed the district’s new corporate partner to the school reform effort.

“There’s energy in the broader community” around the schools, said Harries. “Part of it’s about reform, and part of it is about our wellness initiatives.”

He said Barnard was a good place to take on the wellness efforts because of its environmental magnet theme, and because it is one of seven pilot schools that were tiered earlier this year as part of a citywide reform effort. (Read about that here and here.)

Rivera said she honed her jumping skills as a kid growing up in New Haven.

“It’s very fun,” she said, catching her breath. “It’s very nice to share what we brought.”

Fifth-grader Henry Segue (pictured below) was asked his favorite part of the morning.

“Either jumping rope or Water, Snack and Break,” he replied. “I ate an apple.”

Previous Independent stories on Barnard magnet school:

• Holy Teacher-Student Lunchtime, Batman!
• Surprise! It Came From A Goat
• Barnard Teachers Set To Work
• Barnard Teachers Sign Up For Longer Day
• Schools Get Graded—& Shaken Up

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