Past projects 10
T-Rex Hates Push-Ups...but Not Sw Students!
Funded Dec 1, 2022Thank you all for donating to my resistance band project, the students LOVE when they get to push of pull during workouts now! The wide variety of strength work we are able to do now range from assisted push-ups, to pulling 50lb crates of weights, to sitting rows, to hip and glute activation, to squat-to-presses and beyond.
I have a laundry list of exercises and mechanics work for my track athletes this season that are centered around the bands, including arm and high knee mechanics that, until now, have been a bit difficult and sometimes near impossible to explain and coach. They'll also finally be able to do resistance work since we don't have weight sleds!
Thank you again for your dedication and investment in the health and wellness of our youth. Making fitness fun is always a challenge, but with "new" equipment pieces like resistance bands, there are more smiles come workout days now. Health is wealth, HIGH FIVE!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Machemehl
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 13 other donors.Track Swag Project Part 2: Hoodies
Funded Mar 6, 2023It is my honor to finally say: the Yes Prep Southwest track & field program OFFICIALLY has warm-ups suits! The endless thank you's I owe each and every one of you for this project will forever be said in my head and heart on a daily basis. It's been a wild 9 years of coaching the sport, and I can't wait to unveil these printed warm-up kits in the coming weeks, the athletes are going to lose it. Y'all really are the raddest humans on the planet. Never change. TEXAS-SIZED THANK YOU!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Machemehl
This classroom project was brought to life by Mission Tiger and 12 other donors.Warming Up in Comfort & Southwest "Swag"
Funded Mar 2, 2023It is always with endless gratitude that I say THANK YOU for donating to my fitness/sports-based projects! Our track runners, who are unaware this project is happening, have worked too hard to not be given the same standard clothing resources their counterparts receive. I absolutely cannot wait to unveil the suits to them in the coming weeks. Thank you all and stay great!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Machemehl
The Faster You Zoom, the Heart Rate Goes BOOM BOOM!
Funded Aug 18, 2019It is with extreme excitement that I say THANK YOU for donating to the heart rate watch project, the impact on my students was almost immediate!
Prior to the watches, neither my self nor the student(s) really knew if/when they were "working hard," but now with specialized target heart rate zone goals, their personalized color-changing heart rate boxes displaying their names, and a new level of investment, they've taken their fitness goals into their own hands and gone above and beyond expectations. It's even more gratifying to be able to show and prove to the students who struggle with basic locomotor movements or who have health concerns that just because their partner is doing 25 burpees in 60 seconds, and they're only able to do 8, that doesn't mean they aren't working JUST as (or even harder) than them.
I repeatedly tell my students that "everyone's fitness level is different, and that's normal and OK," and because of your generosity, they're a little less timid, and little more excited, and 100% ready for any WOD, circuit, or TABATA work out I throw their way. I cannot wait to see them take charge of their own health and how far they take their fitness for the spring 2020 semester!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Machemehl
This classroom project was brought to life by Mission Tiger and 10 other donors.Get in The Zone...THE HEART RATE ZONE!
Funded Aug 9, 2019It is with extreme excitement that I say THANK YOU for donating to the heart rate watch project, the impact on my students was almost immediate!
Prior to the watches, neither my self nor the student(s) really knew if/when they were "working hard," but now with specialized target heart rate zone goals, their personalized color-changing heart rate boxes displaying their names, and a new level of investment, they've taken their fitness goals into their own hands and gone above and beyond expectations. It's even more gratifying to be able to show and prove to the students who struggle with basic locomotor movements or who have health concerns that just because their partner is doing 25 burpees in 60 seconds, and they're only able to do 8, that doesn't mean they aren't working JUST as (or even harder) than them.
I repeatedly tell my students that "everyone's fitness level is different, and that's normal and OK," and because of your generosity, they're a little less timid, and little more excited, and 100% ready for any WOD, circuit, or TABATA work out I throw their way. I cannot wait to see them take charge of their own health and how far they take their fitness for the spring 2020 semester!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Machemehl
This classroom project was brought to life by Mission Tiger and 7 other donors.Namaste...in P.E. All Day
Funded Mar 27, 2018Thank you again for your dedication and commitment to the health and well being of our future generations. My students (as well as my athletes) have had an absolute blast learning beginner yoga poses as well as the "yoga lingo." It has opened their eyes to a less high-impact and cardio-vigorous exercise that can, at times, be VERY difficult to perform!
After the first day of our beginner yoga session, majority of my students approached me with various, "Coach, I can barely lift my arms today!" or "I had no idea just how hard it was to sit or squat and hold a pose for a long time!" I think the biggest impact can be seen though from my high-risk and more shy, quiet students in P.E.; normally these students tend to shy away from activities or feel very self-conscious about running the mile or having to perform circuits and HIIT workouts in front of their higher-level fitness peers, but when you give them an activity like yoga, where you're required to stay in one spot and just focus on their balance, breathing, and self-awareness (often with eyes closed) many of them loved it and developed a general, more positive attitude towards PE (one girl was phenomenal at it, I had no clue she was that flexible!).
I've also started incorporating yoga into my cross country weekly practice schedule to ensure my runner's muscles are getting some much deserved and necessary TLC along with the high mileage they put in each week, and some have already said their hips don't feel as tight as they used to feel during morning warm-ups. My runners pushing 6ft tall were appreciative that the mats were the adult sized mats...a huge upgrade from the torn and faded 5ft long "Fitness Gram Curl-Up" mats we've had to use for 15 years, AND we were able to donate those old mats to one of the newer charter schools in Houston whose P.E. department is starting from scratch. A win-win situation all around!
I am ecstatic to continue this yoga journey with my students and athletes to prove to them not all highly beneficial exercises require running, jumping, or lifting heavy things, sometimes all you need is a mat and yourself! Thank you again for investing in the health of our youth. It's individuals like yourself that make me proud and more passionate than ever to be a fitness educator of the 21st century.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Machemehl
This classroom project was brought to life by Ripple and 4 other donors.Oh the Heartbeat Never Ends, it Goes On and On...
Funded Mar 29, 2017While you cannot visually see the heart rate monitors on the students, their invisible impact has completely changed how they view and approach my P.E. class! Being able to see their fluctuating heart rates in the moment has not only blown their mind, but helped them understand when they need to pick up their intensity level in a workout, when they need to maintain their level, and (for a select few zesty students), when they need to bring their intensity level down so their energy will last them through the entire class. I've even let a few of my advanced cross country runners wear them on their long runs to help control their pacing during workouts.
Thank you so much for donating to my heart rate project. This is a project that's been 2 years in the making, but has completely changed my class, as well as how other staff members on campus view P.E...we're no longer JUST an electives class, we mean business in the gym! I cannot wait to see the fitness progress my students WILL make starting now, all thanks to you all. Thank you for your inspiration and passion towards the health and well being of our youth, high five, and you rock!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Machemehl
This classroom project was brought to life by Aspect Ventures and 9 other donors.Getting Fit in a Heartbeat!
Funded Aug 25, 2016From the 7th grade Mavericks and myself to you all, thank you so much for donating to the "heartbeat" project, my students LOVE wearing and seeing their heart rate jump up and down in real time during their workout days and activity days! The HR monitors have completely changed the rigor and effort my students give me throughout class since they know exactly what heart rate zone they need to sustain and can see their HR right in the moment.
I have one student, who fought and beat Leukemia, but has struggled immensity in PE with basic fitness moves from the side effects of the disease. He would always give me decent effort, but also loved to ask, "Coach Mach, why do we have to do this, how does it make me healthy?" Ever since he's been wearing the heart rate monitor, he doesn't ask questions, and keeps a firm eye on his HR level instead, making sure he's doing his burpees, jumping jacks, and jump rope quick enough to stay in his target heart rate zone. He even said his mother was curious where to get one for herself, that she's impressed with how much of a difference and how excited he is about PE now!
Finally, it has single-handedly changed the way I grade my students in class. Before, I had to get very creative with pedometer step rubrics or stopping mid-workout to check heart rate levels (using the primitive 2-fingers to neck way). Both of those processes took up valuable activity time, and were highly inaccurate, but the HR monitors truly show me if the student is giving me an A+ or C- effort during their workout/activity times (I could always visually see it, but now have a concrete data point to show them how they need to improve), and there's no way I could've obtained that data without the monitors.
Again, thank you so very much for donating to the project and for your overall support in our future generation's health and well-being. My students have so many odds stacked against them, but with your generosity, these monitors will begin to put them on the path to understanding the importance of a healthy lifestyle and start making those healthy life choices and habits!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Machemehl
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 10 other donors.Keep Calm and P.E. On
Funded Sep 10, 2015Thank you so much again for donating to the SW P.E. Department! The jump ropes, "Texas-sized" cage ball, indoor soccer balls, and Frisbees have been used almost on a daily basis, and the students love them! Some of my 6th graders are so small they could fit inside of the big cage ball, but every day they ask, "Miss, when can we play Crab Soccer again with the big ball?" The addition of this equipment has taken many of our traditional games, as well as workout days, to a new level, and that wouldn't have happened without each of you.
When all of students walked into the gym (even some non-P.E. students) and saw 60 bright neon jump ropes, new neon indoor soccer balls, a stack of clean, scratch-free Frisbees, and of course, a ball bigger than they've ever seen, they immediately wanted to know what games we were playing with all of this "cool stuff." I even secretly smiled a bit inside when I heard a high school communications applications students say, "Man, I hope I get P.E. next semester!" It is amazing how simple things like jump ropes and soccer balls can have a positive impact and build anticipation for all students on campus.
Currently in class, we have used the jump ropes on a weekly basis in our Tabata, circuit or interval workouts. The level of intensity the students put into workout days has increased so much due to the fact that they all get their own, properly-sized jump rope instead of having to share them and have, what all PE teachers dread..."down time." Since we've taken that away, I have students who averaged 70s and 80s on their workout grades now getting 90s and 100s. My 6th grade classes have started the Beginner Ultimate Frisbee unit, and since they don't have to be in large throwing groups of 3-5 due to the lack of Frisbees, they can simply pair up and be guaranteed a Frisbee aka: more Frisbee throw practice time! And as you can see from the photos, they take their backhand technique VERY seriously. Our varsity soccer teams are excited to be able to keep true to their practice schedules this year since we have indoor soccer balls to practice with in the gym. Our athletic director can rest assured that the boys and girls won't kick a hole in the gym wall with the softer indoor balls. And finally...Crab Soccer. I don't think I've ever seen all 70 PE students smile at once until I brought out the 36" diameter ball for Crab Soccer. Even the soccer athletes, who have essentially been known to take over the game in the past, were challenged by the size of the new game ball. In case Crab Soccer wasn't exciting enough, it's not been taken to a brand new level!
Once again, from my students, myself, and the PE/athletic staff, thank you so much for donating to my project to help grow our PE/Athletics equipment inventory, student investment, and lesson plan options on campus! It has increased my grading strategies (and happiness) as well as student motivation, grades, and enthusiasm all at once. I whole-heartedly appreciate anyone who invests themselves into the health and wellness of our youth, so please continue to inspire and be inspired to live a healthy, active lifestyle!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Machemehl
Step Into A Healthy Lifestyle
Funded Aug 7, 2015Since receiving the class pedometers, my students do NOT want to sit down in class. Whether we are warming up, playing Ultimate Frisbee, handball, or doing a TABATA workout, they are constantly jogging in place and moving with vigor during activity time to gain their "Step Challenge" steps! The overall class rigor has increased as well as the self-accountability each student has, since their effort can be visually seen in their step count. They get so excited when they get to move their name plate up to the next "Step Count Level" on the wall...we make a mini celebration out of it.
Having an assigned pedometer to each student has also increased their accountability of making sure each pedometer finds it's way back into it's storage pocket, which didn't always happen with our old set. In the weeks we've been wearing them, I've had only 1 pedometer go missing, and when the student brought it back to me (he forgot to unclip it from his pants at the end of class), he was so apologetic that he forgot to return it and asked if he needed to do punishment push-ups (he didn't have to since he showed honesty). Who would've thought P.E. and fitness technology could teach responsibility and honesty as well!
The reaction from my classes when I opened up the Amazon box of pedometers was the equivalence of getting a college acceptance letter in the mail from your dream school. Since we previously didn't have enough to outfit some of my larger classes, the students who, at some point didn't get to wear a pedometer, screamed so loud our dance teacher on the in-gym stage poked her head out to make sure everything was OK. They said verbal "thank you people of the world!" to the ceiling and air to show their gratitude, so to say another thank you on their behalf does not do their thank yous justice!
From myself and my enthusiastic students, thank you to each and every one of you that chose to donate to my project. Students in other P.E. classes want to join the "Mach Step Challenge," which I will take as a very large compliment from students. I am so thankful that there are others out there who see the importance of fitness and value what I like to call "the whole student," and I cannot wait to see where my student's fitness investment takes them in class and beyond. Thank you again for supporting my fitness "movement" and the future health and wellness of our youth!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Machemehl