Dance is not something you typically associate with military-style physical fitness. However, what better way to learn something new while diversifying health and fitness instruction. We all know that physical fitness serves us best when it becomes a lifestyle, not a resolution to be abandoned after a few months. Clean versions of student-selected music and the latest dance moves incorporated make moving and sweating seem like less of a chore. To assist with this instructional strategy, the Vista Grande High School Dance Team members Karizma Maguire, Racey Mallery, and Hailey Arp eagerly volunteered to proctor this session of physical fitness instruction from a totally different perspective. The student-teachers integrated fitness, dance, and creative expressions to create a very interesting physical fitness lesson on Friday, January 14, with VGHS’s Marine Corps JROTC cadets on the patio during third period. Cadets laughed at how easy student-teachers made the dance moves look, compared to how challenging they actually were to execute. Though they awkwardly moved and laughed along the way, they all gave an honest effort to learning the dance moves while engaging in the physical activities. The change in physical training (PT) instruction was enjoyed by class members Emiliano Acevedo, Anthony Beck, Logan Bowen, Zachary Carlin, Daniel Dunaway, Sarah Foerster, Julian Garza, Eithan Ledbetter, Ariyeana Lewis, Alexander Neal, Natalia Olmedo, Dylan Porter, Valerie Rivas, Mariah Salinas, Crystal Sylvia, Isiah Taylor, Dominic Vandever, Jay Varela Vargas, Michael Wallis, and Santana Garcia. The students’ continuous laughter is evidence enough that this unique approach to physical fitness was a welcomed change. This differentiated approach to instruction enriched the learning environment and increased students’ ownership and participation in the learning process. The Spartans are instructed by Dr. Tyrone Hall, CWO-3 (ret), and MSgt Jorge Rico. Visit their webpage at
www.cguhsd.org/vgJROTC.aspx.