October 2005 • Report of Activities from Principal John Marra. The first two months have been filled with activities ranging from students attending an assembly with the 4-H extension agent, Janice Heavener, to teachers attending Standards-Based Math training. Read the entire report.

May 2005 • Lambert Receives Community Awareness Award Robrietta Lambert, a Physical Education teacher at Franklin Elementary School, was recognized with a Community Awareness Award on April 22, 2005, at Canaan Valley Resort.

This award was presented by the PEIA Pathways-to-Wellness program at their annual Worksite Coordinator Training. Read more about her accomplishment.

December 2004 • Dance-Dance-Revolution (DDR) Franklin Elementary has been chosen as a pilot site in the PEIA Pathways to Wellness Program to participate in the new craze Dance-Dance-Revolution video game. DDR combines video game technology with fitness, requiring players to jump around to score points rather than just moving a joystick or pushing a button.

DDR has developed an almost cult following of fans, many of whom have lost a significant amount of weight playing the game. With obesity being at epidemic proportions in America — West Virginia being number three in the country — and with video games being accused as being one of the culprits, this game combines physical activity and technology to help children become more active.

The game came to the US from Japan in 2001 in video arcades and is now available in a home version. The premise of the DDR is simple: players stand on a 1-foot-square dance pad with arrows on the square facing up, down, left and right. The player faces a video screen that has arrows scrolling up to the beat of a chosen song. As the arrow reaches the top of the screen, the player steps in the corresponding arrow on the pad..

The DDR game will be introduced in PE classes at FES to allow students a new format for becoming physically active. The game will also be used at monthly reward times and special events at the school.