Paw Paw High School in Michigan, home to 600 students, has seen a remarkable boost in participation and engagement in its physical education program. This surge is most evident in the weight training classes, now offered every hour of the school day. Thanks to the dedication of PE teachers Cameron Kiesgen, Kristin Smith, and Kyle Tremblay, students are more involved than ever, embracing weight training as a key part of their high school experience.
This success didn’t happen overnight. In recent years, the school transitioned to a trimester schedule and moved from printouts to technology to better personalize student workouts. The results have been transformative. Students from all grade levels are engaging in PE like never before. PE teacher Cameron Kiesgen highlights the impact,
“I have been a PE teacher at the school for 15 years, and in the last few years, we’ve seen a new level of engagement and a large increase in participation throughout our PE program.”
Paw Paw’s Push for All Students to Learn Weight Training
The Paw Paw High School PE department views and encourages weight training as a lifetime skill, emphasizing its benefits far beyond the classroom or athletic fields. This inclusive philosophy ensures that the program is open to all students, regardless of their background.
While many student-athletes join the class to improve their sports performance, Cameron notes a significant reduction in sports-related injuries,
“The weight training program for athletes is about more than just getting bigger or faster, but helping them stay healthy throughout the year.”
The program also attracts a diverse range of students who don’t play sports at Paw Paw, offering them an opportunity to build strength, confidence, and a sense of accomplishment,
“It is awesome to see new students go from never being in the weight room before and learning the basics of form and technique to achieving personal bests and improvements that spark excitement and engagement for years to come,” Cameron shares.
By teaching foundational skills and fostering a supportive environment, Paw Paw’s weight training classes empower students to prioritize their health and fitness, equipping them with tools to stay active and healthy for a lifetime.
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Empowering Participation & Engagement With PLT4M
In recent years, Paw Paw High School has embraced technology to enhance student participation and engagement in physical education. Historically a Bigger, Faster, Stronger (BFS) school, Paw Paw relied on paper copies to deliver and track student workouts. While paper served its purpose, the management and clutter it created became time-consuming and tedious, prompting Paw Paw to embrace technology as a more efficient solution.
Adopting the PLT4M app marked a significant shift, allowing for higher levels of customization and personalization. PE teacher Cameron Kiesgen highlights the impact,
“It was easy to tailor workouts to what we had in our weight room, our students’ goals, and what we wanted to accomplish as a department.”
Using PLT4M, Paw Paw developed a program that was aligned with their schedule and objectives. The app’s ability to personalize workouts has been especially beneficial, supporting students varying experience levels. Cameron explains,
“It has been great to see students log workouts in PLT4M and track their progress over a trimester, a year, or even their entire high school career. It clicks with our newcomers to students who have now been in the class for multiple years.”
Instead of managing endless sheets of paper, the PLT4M app provides a dynamic and visual way to showcase student growth. Cameron emphasizes how empowering this can be,
“For example, we can pull up any student’s profile and display a graph of their progress over time. It’s a powerful tool to help students see just how far they’ve come.”
Integrating technology with PLT4M, Paw Paw’s PE program has created an engaging, personalized experience that motivates students and highlights their achievements.
Pride and Friendly Competition From Leaderboards
Students are also motivated by the potential to excel among their peers. Cameron notes,
“The live leaderboards in PLT4M spark friendly competition and a sense of pride when students see their hard work paying off.”
Building on the excitement generated by the app’s live leaderboards, Paw Paw took it a step further by creating boys’ and girls’ leaderboards in the weight room. These leaderboards give students a tangible goal to work toward throughout their high school careers. Cameron describes the enthusiasm this has brought to the program:
“When a student makes it onto a leaderboard, you can see them taking pictures or admiring their success. It’s another layer of making the weight room a fun and effective experience for students.”
By integrating technology and fostering a sense of community and achievement, Paw Paw’s PE program continues to create an engaging and empowering environment for all students.
Key Takeaways: Participation and Engagement Up for Paw Paw PE
Paw Paw High School’s physical education program has made tremendous strides in fostering participation and engagement, and the results are inspiring. From embracing technology with PLT4M to cultivating a culture of inclusion and empowerment in weight training, the program has transformed how students view fitness and wellness.
As more subjects turn to technology, Cameron highlights the benefits it has within physical education and weight training for schools,
“With technology, we can keep evolving and adapting to make sure that participation and engagement continue to go in the right direction.”
This innovation, coupled with personalized programming and opportunities for friendly competition, has created a dynamic environment where students feel motivated and supported in their fitness journeys.
And when participation and engagement are high in physical education, students experience improved health, confidence, and overall wellness—laying the foundation for a lifetime of healthy habits and success.
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