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Physical Education in Schools

“The Importance of Physical Education in a Child's Life & How www.HomeField.fit Could Be A Solution To These Needs” By Stella Porto SDA ED.D Experience Having worked as a special educator for 29 years in one of the world’s largest school systems, I noticed a trend of inappropriate classroom behaviors that could be addressed through physical education. In April of 1999, I published a journal article in The Journal of Autism & Developmental Disabilities of The Effects of Exercise on the Self-Stimulatory Behaviors and Positive Responding of Adolescents with Autism (v27 n2 p193-202 Apr 1997). The study investigated the effects of aerobic exercise on self-stimulatory behaviors (repetitive body movements to stimulate one’s own senses) and the academic performance of five adolescent males with autism. I found a significant decrease in self-stimulatory behavior following physical exercise. Academic performance increased after participating in aerobic exercise. I used these finding...

From Volunteer to Founder: How a hobby turned into the first online wellness program designed for all abilities

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“From Volunteer to Founder: How a hobby turned into the first online wellness program designed for all abilities" By Abbi Social settings, human interactions, and daily tasks have been altered by the pandemic, and many wonder if life will ever return to “normal”. For co-founders Daniel and Gage, the “normal” for fitness has been forever changed by HomeField and the opportunities it provides. Pre-pandemic, Daniel Caridi volunteered at a wellness center coaching a general fitness class with Gage DeDominicis. They both found a love for accessible fitness, specifically for those who were consistently excluded or underrepresented in fitness communities. During the heat of the social distancing, mask mandates, and nationwide closures, the two had a desire to continue their volunteer work with the group of five students from their class. They taught zoom fitness/martial arts classes, and what started with just five students turned into fifteen, then fifty. They realized that there was a ...