Maine Schools Should Definitely Adopt This PE Credit Policy

If you got the same impression from high school as I did, I often wonder why we spent hundreds of hours learning the life span of a cell or the intricacies of making a presentable poster board and completely neglected budgeting, proper etiquette in social situations, or how to change a tire. Ya know, the useful things in life.

A school in Dubuque, Iowa is catching on to how to encourage students to learn life lessons, be active, and help out their community in one fell swoop. According to Simplemost.com, the landscaping program is part of a curriculum designed to get kids back on the path to graduation after their identified as "at risk" for dropping out. As a result, they're given an opportunity to help senior citizens or people living with disabilities with their yard work and earn PE credits in the process.

We all know that raking, shoveling, mowing the lawn, or tending to the garden wears you out. So why not let the kids handle the tough stuff all in the name of education and community service? While they may not be too keen on it at the start, teacher Tim Hitzler at the Alternative Learning Center says they warm up to the program in no time.

“The students aren’t typically too excited at the beginning but once they get involved and start doing the yard work they become more motivated,” Hitzler told Simplemost. “What they really like is … helping people. They really like giving back to people and meeting the person.”

So what gives, Maine?! Let's get those kids outside and let them start racking up PE credits!