By ADAM STEWART

Staff writer

After school Monday, 15 Hillsboro Elementary School students gathered for an hour of running around and playing games.

HES Exercise Club began three weeks ago, but the idea started in autumn. Anna Woods of Woods Wellness asked HES Counselor Mike Moran about the possibility of creating an exercise club as part of the school’s after-school program.

Originally scheduling didn’t work out, but the club was able to begin after spring break. Personal trainer Eric Weinbrenner leads the club with help from Tabor College student Jessica Prault. The club meets after school each Monday.

“The main goal for me is to have an hour they’re active and having fun,” Weinbrenner said.

The club is less structured than a physical education class, he said. The students’ favorite activities tend to be things that involve both competition and cooperation, including relay races, he added.

Keeping the students organized and on-task can be a challenge, Weinbrenner said, but he is improving.

“I learned after the first week to bring a whistle,” he said. “Yelling doesn’t get it done.”