On Thursday, April 11, Elon students and faculty visited high school students at Alamance Career and Technical Education Center to learn about biomechanics and health careers through student-led activities and discussions.
Each year, National Biomechanics Day (NBD) aims to celebrate the breakthrough science of the 21st century by teaching high school students around the world about the field. The S.T.E.A.M.-based educational outreach event has reached more than 20,000 students globally.
For National Biomechanics Day at Elon this year, faculty and students from the departments of Exercise Science, Performing Arts, and Physical Therapy Education, collaborated with teachers and students from Alamance-Burlington School System’s Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) interested in the health sciences on Thursday, April 11.
Elon students led stations providing hands-on experience with different aspects of biomechanics, such as vertical jumping, strength, motor control, manual dexterity, gait and balance. The two-hour event was well attended with three CTEC teachers and 35 high-school students participating in celebrating NBD and learning about the field of biomechanics and career possibilities with Elon students and faculty.
Assistant Professor Jasmine Powell from Performing Arts, Assistant Professor Jacob Gdovin, Associate Professor Matthew Wittstein and Professor Joyce Davis from Exercise Science, Associate Professor Emeritus Sue Chinworth, and Associate Professor Srikant Vallabhajosula from Physical Therapy Education collaborated to plan for the NBD event.
Student volunteers included:
Sydney Love ’25, Exercise Science
Kaitlyn Sumner ’26, Exercise Science
Taylor Haerbig ’25, Exercise Science
Lilli Waldon ’25, Exercise Science
Kylie Paquin ’25, Exercise Science
Matthew Luczkowski ’26, Exercise Science
Madeline Jacobellis ’26, Exercise Science
Owen Baillie ’25, Exercise Science
Sam Parker ’25, Exercise Science
Mackenzie Janes ’24, Exercise Science
Lucy McAfee ’26, Exercise Science
Emily Gagen ’26, Exercise Science
Becca Zlepper ’24, Exercise Science
Ethan Ackerman ’25, Exercise Science
Spencer Hellinger ’25, Exercise Science
Becca Derengowski ’25, Exercise Science
Sofia Beljic ’25, Exercise Science
Christina Westbrooks G’26, Doctor of Physical Therapy
Maddie Whitaker G’26, Doctor of Physical Therapy
Arielle Eure G’26, Doctor of Physical Therapy
