Inside Iowa State

July 30, 2009

Participants in the youth summer fitness program play a round of "Fire and Ice" (top) and hone their balance skills on a low beam. Photos by Bob Elbert.

Summer energy

Iowa State's eight-week summer fitness program for elementary school-aged kids wrapped up this week following a Wednesday evening open house for curious parents. Directed for the 24th summer by Richard Engelhorn, kinesiology department, the program kept 130 children moving four afternoons a week. Their activities included dance, swimming, tumbling, group yard games and court sports -- three or four every day.

"The intent is to give the children an opportunity to be very active during the summer," Engelhorn said. His directive to the 16 ISU students who served as leaders was to "get the kids to try all kinds of things."

"We do whatever we have equipment for," he said.