Bridging Grades, Bridging Lessons: A Unified Approach to Fitness, Advocacy, and Community

Eighth graders team up with elementary students to promote wellness and prepare for the Harry Chapin Run Against Hunger.

What happens when elementary students learning about fitness and the cardiovascular system connect with eighth graders exploring advocacy and communication? You get a robust approach to teaching and learning where older students mentor younger ones and learning extends beyond the classroom. The partnership was enriched by its tie-in to the Harry Chapin Run Against Hunger, a beloved community tradition that underscores the values of empathy, wellness, and service.

Working together, CET Physical Education Teacher Ms. Leslie and PVC Health Teacher Ms. Butts developed an integrated teaching unit that connects the elementary and middle school. “This peer education component came out of our desire to find opportunities to collaborate across schools,” said Ms. Leslie. “The tie-in to the Harry Chapin Run Against Hunger made it more inclusive of the community and provided richer content for students — a meaningful bonus.”

This week, Ms. Butts’s eighth graders met with Ms. Leslie’s CET students on the newly renovated Spencer Field to teach them about the benefits of exercise, how to use a pedometer, and to get them moving. Taking laps together around the track brought the experience to deeper levels of connection and learning.

“Sometimes our younger students can learn more openly from our older students,” said Ms. Butts. “They become like a role model, which is empowering as an eighth grader. Advocacy and communication are the core components of this unit.”

The lessons provided a meaningful opportunity for students to apply what they’ve learned about physical health and wellness while developing communication and leadership skills. The eighth graders served as mentors, guiding the younger students through hands-on learning that connected physical movement to both emotional well-being and community action.

Conor, an eighth grader, explained, “We are educating them about physical education and trying to motivate them to do things like run a mile and show them it’s beneficial.” He added, “In fifth grade we learned about walking and tracking our steps. We had to pick a destination and figure out how much we had to walk every day to get there. I chose Washington, D.C., and I ended up walking way past that in a month.”

Nik shared, “We want to encourage a healthy lifestyle and encourage them to do the Harry Chapin Run. In fifth-grade health class, we would reflect on how exercising every day affects both our mental and physical health. If you’re stressed or angry, exercise releases endorphins, which makes you feel better.”

Conor noted, “Science and math are a big part of health,” while Ian added, “After walking a lot, I notice that I sleep better.”

The Harry Chapin Run Against Hunger, founded in memory of singer-songwriter and activist Harry Chapin, is a long-standing community event that raises awareness and funds to fight food insecurity both locally and globally. The event includes a 10K, 5K, and 1-mile fun run/walk, bringing together participants of all ages to support the mission of ending hunger. Proceeds benefit local organizations including the Croton-Cortlandt Food Pantry and the national nonprofit WhyHunger, founded by Chapin and Bill Ayres.

By connecting fitness, advocacy, and community engagement, this collaborative unit helps students experience education as something active, connected, and purpose-driven. “Our students aren’t just learning about health,” said Ms. Butts. “They’re practicing it, sharing it, and using it to make a difference in their community.”