Orefield Middle School Students Move for MILES

students, under the tutelage of seventh-grade science teacher Dianne Haberstroh, unveiled a new physical fitness program at assemblies held Wednesday.

The Miles In Learning to Eat (Exercise) Smart (MILES) program includes an Energy Bike, which when pedaled generates electricty to a variety of light bulbs and small appliances. Parkland Superintendent of Schools was on hand to help demonstrate.

Students also constructed a six-foot, three-dimensional Food Man, made out of fake food that is nutritious and healthy. It sports a Kindle Fire in its abdomen to show off Internet apps to students.

The program is funded by an $8,700 grant by Highmark Blue Shield's Heathly High 5 initiative.

"I've applied for lots of grants and I get them," said Haberstroh, who is in her 25th year of teaching in the Parkland School District. "In my science classes, we talked about poor eating habits and we wanted to see what we could do to make this fun for middle schoolers."

Haberstroh said the Food Man was the brainchild of students who wanted a symbol of their project.

"They talked about making it technology-savvy, so they would have it for awhile," Haberstroh said.

As for the bike, Haberstroh said she'd seen the original Ohio Energy Bike at a science teacher's conference.

"One of my students did some research on it. It's a very good learning tool," Haberstroh said.

The bike will be available to all teachers and students for class time and will also be used as a fund-raising tool during school dances.

Students, who were shown videos and skits on healthy eating and excercising, were also given a pedometer at the end of each assembly. For three months, students will keep track of how much they've walked with the winning homeroom getting a free field trip to Spring Hill Miniature Golf Course and Batting Cages in Schnecksville.