Physical education pupils take center stage at annual Gym Show

TINIKLING. Parachutes. Scarves and ribbons.

Physical education certainly has come a long way from the ZTC standard basketball, timed relays and square dancing that I remember from my school days.

Fourth-grade students at Mount Airy Elementary School showcased these gym skills, as well as country line dancing and sign language interpretation, at their annual Gym Show.

Three performances were given for students and parents this week.

The program highlighted skills students have worked on throughout the school year, and physical education teacher Robin Townsend centered the show on the use of manipulativesand color.

The Gym Show, now in its fourth year, was enhanced by the upbeat, popular music choreographed for the routines.

Keeping the beat while tapping long poles on blocks of wood, students in Andrea Bunting's class jumped in and out, turned, spun and rotated jumpers, demonstrating to the crowd what tinikling is about.

Twirling red, blue, green and yellow ribbons in circles overhead and from side to side, Brenda Teppig's class followed with a colorful, dramatic routine performed to the song "Circle of Life."

There was a whole lot of shaking going on when Diane Aubley's class juggled and danced with brightly colored scarfs to "Mony, Mony."

Daring her classmates to capture her, fourth-grader Theresa Pickett, dressed in a lion costume, danced around a gigantic parachute supported by her classmates.

Lifting and spinning the parachute in a kaleidoscope of color, the students finally caught the lion during the last dramatic seconds of "I Just Can't Wait to Be King."

The entire fourth grade took the gym floor and showed off its boot-scooting and fancy footwork during a demonstration of country line dancing.

For several years now, Teppig has taught her students American Sign Language, and the sign language portion of the program has become a tradition.

Teppig says children learn quickly, and the class has practiced this year's interpretation of "Reach for the Light" since before Christmas.

Teppig uses sign language in her classroom daily because she believes it will help her students communicate with the hearing-impaired. She introduces the concept of signing as an alternative to studying spelling or reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, or as a way to control noise in her room. It's not uncommon to see her students respond to the silent hand signals of "Line up," "Sit down" and "Come here."

Talk about substance abuse

"It's never too early or too late to start talking to your children about substance abuse," says Teresa Daub, assistance prevention coordinator of Junction.

That's the message she hopes parents will walk away with after attending the one-hour program "Talking With Your Children About: Substance Abuse" at Mount Airy branch library from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Registration is required.

Daub will offer parents techniques and tips on communicating with children about substance abuse. She will offer tips on how to be prepared when your child disagrees with you and how to sell your ideas on substance abuse.

Junction is a private, nonprofit agency that focuses on substance-abuse prevention and treatment. The agency receives state and county funding.

Information: 795-1010 or [phone].

Youth carwash

If your car looks anything like mine, it could use a good wash, especially with all the wet weather lately.

Let someone else worry about the soap and water and take care of the dirty work. Drive to the Roy Rogers parking lot at Mount Airy Shopping Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow, and the Calvary Senior United Methodist Youth Fellowship will wash and shine your car. The youth group is sponsored by Calvary United Methodist Church of Mount Airy. Proceeds from the carwash will be used solely for summer work projects of the UMYF at Camp Hope and in Martinsburg, W.Va. Donations will be accepted.

Christy Kruhm's Southwest Carroll Neighborhood column appears each Friday in the Carroll County edition of The Sun.

Pub Date: 5/10/96