Todd Sisneros cares about his students. In fact, he cares so much, he has been sending them home with extra homework–homework both the kids and their parents love.

Concerned for both the wellbeing of his own students and the direction United States children are headed in regard to weight gain and sedentary lifestyles, Sisneros, a PE teacher at Bennett Elementary and Harry Reid Elementary, took matters into his own hands.

Armed with a video camera and a number of volunteers, he created an exercise DVD for the kids of his schools, complete with an instructional chapter for parents, information on caloric–intake and other nutritional information, and chapter after chapter of workouts.

“We raised money through the community and through a fundraiser so that a video was given to each child at both of my schools,” Sisneros explained, adding that the response was fantastic. “As a matter of fact, I started getting emails and phone calls from people across the country.”

For his efforts, Sisneros was awarded CNN’s FitNation Award for submitting the nation’s top obesity–fighting project in 2006. His award led to his inclusion on a panel of experts who recently met with CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta and former President Clinton in New York for a round table panel discussion on the rising problem of childhood obesity in America.

“I really see this program having the potential to be something big,” he said of the take–home DVDs, as he explained the creation of his second line of videos.

The success of the first line of videos encouraged Sisneros to push his idea further and create a fit club of sorts so kids can feel as part of a team when they engage in exercise. Sisneros’ TECLUB emphasizes the parents’ role in encouraging health and fitness in the home as well as provides a reward system within the classroom for students who do their homework.

In short, students earn prizes as determined by their teachers for watching the video with their parents and completing the exercises according to a weekly schedule. And the ease of the program is that it doesn’t take up classroom time and it brings parents the necessary tools to help their children learn to lead healthy lives.

“There is so much information the parents don’t have,” Sisneros said. “They hear eat well and exercise, but what does that mean? This program is education for the parents,” he explained, and allows them to make better decisions in regard to their children’s health.

In addition to bringing physical fitness into his students’ homes, Sisneros’ schools have been actively engaging the virtual exercise trend for several years, having incorporated Dance, Dance Revolution, EyeToy Kinetic, and Yourself! Fitness into their PE sessions.

Misti R. Brock
Publications Specialist

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