By, Aaron Adelson
Aadelson@kcautv.com
Twitter: @aadelsonkcau
One Sioux City elementary school tries out a new pilot program designed to get kids to socialize better, and in turn learn better.
At Hunt Elementary, the program's Structured Play, and it uses physical activity to help kids succeed in the classroom.
Children participate in group activities, expressing their emotions, and practice taking deep breaths to calm down.
Structured Play is supposed to help them fit in better.
"An opportunity for kids to develop their socialization skills without getting into competitive environments, they have to protect themselves and so they misinterpret sometimes the information of normal play as something that's being done to them," said Frank Grijalva, Midwest Trauma Services Network Director.
It's hoped the kids will use what they do in Structured Play when they're back in the classroom.
"Finding safety in the peer group, which then calms down their evaluation of their environment, which then allows them to become more available to academics," said Grijalva.
The Junior League of Sioux City helped bring the program to hunt.
League members met with the city's elementary principals and eventually found a fit at Hunt.
"After talking to Frank and benefits of structured play therapy, and having talked to the principal of Hunt Elementary, Amy Denney, we realized that there was a really nice fit between the 2 where there might be a benefit of bringing that social work therapy tool into the school," said Angie Schneiderman, Junior League President.
The kids completed the second of ten sessions Friday. They meet twice a week. When the sessions are over, then they'll talk about extending the program.
