For the last two weeks Elon's Doctor of Physical Therapy first and third-year students worked with Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Education Paula DiBiasio to help local children get active.
As part of the curriculum, the DPT students have been learning about human motor development. They’re studying the progression in play skills for children, and understanding how body systems, such as the musculoskeletal system, impact development.
To bring those concepts to life, DiBiasio partnered with the “It Takes a Village” Project, a program that uses a collaborative approach to help children in the community who are struggling to read. The program’s summer camp is hosting 70 children, providing them with opportunities to engage in music, technology, photography and many other exciting areas including movement.
This service-learning adventure has reinforced classroom material while providing the children with well needed physical activity. The campers, who are in grades two through eight, have also learned the benefits of movement, risks of sedentary behaviors and how to stay active through sports and play.