Daily Energizers
Since young people spend much of their time in school, this environment is often viewed as key in encouraging and providing opportunities for them to be active. Regular physical activity, even modest forms, has significant health benefits for students. The Institute of Medicine Report “Educating the Student Body” reports that a growing body of evidence suggests a relationship between vigorous and moderate-intensity physical activity and the structure and functioning of the brain. Students who are more active show greater attention, have faster cognitive processing speed, and perform better on standardized academic tests than students who are less active. Physically active students are likely to be healthy and mentally sharp—attributes critical to being truly “present” during the school day.