Local News

Run Club helps with improved school attendance

EAST LIVERPOOL Since the inception of the Westgate Run Club last year at Westgate Middle School, attendance for students participating has increased.

Megan Hernandez, communications, East Liverpool City Schools, said that it's been amazing to see.

Hernandez also noted that students in that age group need enrichment and unless they are involved in athletics, their options are limited, so they are getting the students who are coming to school every Friday now.

"It's been a big attendance motivator," Hernandez said. "We looked at the attendance numbers for this building and Fridays are through the roof because of Run Club. They don't want to miss school because they want to go Run Club."

According to Hernandez, one of the number one priorities for the school year is getting attendance numbers up.

According to fifth-grade teacher Ashley Byrne, who coordinates the Run Club with Melanie Rowley, also a fifth-grade teacher and marathon runner, after looking over the attendance data it was noticed that students who have previously had attendance issues were now there every Friday and the Run Club students who were the top 30 in attendance had improved attendance and about 14 Run Club students had their best attendance year in three years.

Byrne also noted that district wide chronic absenteeism was at about 46%, but students who were in Run Club were only showing 10%.

"They know they have to come to school to come to Run Club and there are some kids that never miss Friday because they don't want to miss Run Club," Byrne said.

Run Club started last year when Byrne wrote a grant application to the Bonny Hoffel Foundation.

The teachers looked for something to do that for the students and running was the least expensive option because there wasn't a need for equipment.

According to Byrne, the grant was written to have the students stay after and train with Rowley using badges to scan and track their laps over time.

Byrne noted by the end of the school year last year some students had lapped over 30 cumulative miles.

"It's a social thing for a lot of them who are dying to be with their friends after school," Byrne said. "They are not going to go join a baseball team or traveling volleyball team or something like that. This is something they can do that doesn't cost them anything and they can be with their friends and be social and be pushed by Mel (Rowley) to really work on their fitness level."

During the current school year Byrne and Rowley started taking the students to participate in races.

Two of the students, Scarlett Hernandez and Landon Karaffa, both 10, took first place in the 10 and under category at the Twas the Night Before Christmas 5K held at Firestone Park, with Scarlett breaking a course record in her age group for her time.

"So, we have a lot of talented kids that have access to a teacher, a marathoner, who can work with them," Byrne said.

Last year the grant received was $1,500 and was used to purchase T-shirts and medals for the students. This year the grant was for $2,000 and has been used to purchase running shoes for four students in need and to pay the entry fee for races, because the teachers don't want a $30 race fee to be deterrent to a student who wants to participate. There are also plans to purchase T-shirts for students who participate for a set number of weeks and medals.

Byrne and Rowley are looking to incorporate the Run Club into the Boys and Girls of America Club which is anticipated to start at the school within the next several weeks.