SSMS students finish yearlong marathon

After completing a marathon — done over the course of the school year as part of a free physical education program for children with disabilities — South Side Middle School CORE students’ smiles radiated as they were awarded brand new sneakers.

Sixteen middle-schoolers took part in the Achilles Kids initiative, during which students travel portions of the 26.2 mile run on a weekly basis during their gym classes. In addition to providing the students with fresh kicks to celebrate their accomplishment, the program encourages students to “run, walk or roll,” and is designed to improve their health and confidence.

Physical education teachers Carolyn Ferguson, Meaghan Healey and Kristen Aksionoff organized the program at the middle school for the fourth year, and introduced it two years ago to the high school, where 24 students participated this year.

“Our goal was to complete a full marathon by June, but this program has a far more reaching impact on our students’ lives,” Ferguson said. “The joy on their faces, the enthusiasm with which they greet their friends and the sparks of recognition when working with their eighth-grade community service group all speak to the amazing impact of this program.”

The students’ progress was tracked on a customized map of Rockville Centre, and their milestones, such as the five-mile mark and the halfway point, were celebrated.

Twelve eighth-graders participated in the Achilles Kids program for their community service projects. They helped to raise money for the sneakers through bake sales, and supported their classmates throughout the year as they relentlessly took on the marathon.

“As physical educators, it is our hope that we may continue this program through the adapted physical education curriculum,” Ferguson said, “so that our students will develop a lifelong love of running, exercise and fitness.”