SHARON, Pa. — Penn State Shenango physical therapist assistant (PTA) students traveled off-campus for a service-learning opportunity at the Kids of the Kingdom Preschool in Greenville. Shenango students partnered with young learners to promote healthy lifestyles through engaging physical activities and lessons on nutritious choices.
The project allowed Shenango’s PTA students to apply classroom knowledge to real-world situations while fostering early habits of movement and wellness in the children participants.
“Overall, this was one of my favorite assignments so far,” said Malia Baney, a student in Penn State Shenango’s PTA program. “I liked being able to create an activity to promote physical activity and then see how much the children loved it, which was very rewarding.”
According to Teaching Professor of Physical Therapy Jennifer Jewell, this project is a win-win for everyone.
“Learning experiences like this not only strengthen our students’ clinical and communication skills, but also highlight the impact they can have in promoting health across the lifespan,” Jewell said.
The PTA students, who are all enrolled in Penn State Shenango’s clinical decision-making class, also created informational fliers for the families of the preschoolers to encourage healthy lifestyle choices at home.
“I loved hanging out with the kids, playing with them, hearing all the stories they had to tell, and connecting with them individually to make them feel seen,” Baney said.