POLAND — Wearing athletic clothes, looking more like a coach than a principal, Shawn Vincent welcomed students to the track Thursday.

“Good morning, Whittier Middle School!” Vincent said. “In our program today, we’re running 25 minutes straight. Two and a half miles is what you’re going for.”

“I’m Shipping Up to Boston” by the Dropkick Murphys played over a loudspeaker as 250 Whittier Middle School students began to walk and run.

Whittier Middle School is in its sixth week of a twice-a-week running program for all students during the school day. A first-year principal, Vincent won a $2,500 “ING Run for Something Better” grant to fight obesity and get students moving.

The running program is scheduled to end with a Veterans Day “Couch to 5K” run for students, staff, parents and school board members at Minot Consolidated School. Vincent hopes to have 150 participants. “I’ve already got 120,” he said.

The school doesn’t need a grant to get everyone running, Vincent said, but the grant allowed the school to make the 5K a big event with timers, registration, race shirts and a DJ, and helped him build a program for the spring.

Students are training for the 5K (a 3.1-mile race), Vincent said. The school program began in September with 60-second runs. The time increased every time students hit the track. 

Watching students Thursday, Vincent said peer pressure is always at work. If their friends aren’t running, they don’t run. “But everybody walks. That’s great. I just want to see them moving out there.”

As they moved, the song “What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction played. Music helps motivate them, Vincent said

The twice-a-week run is built into the fall schedule, Vincent said. “We said we need to find time to model moving; that was our priority.” Students get physical education classes once a week. “I don’t think that’s enough,” he said. “They need at least a couple of times a week.”

Studies show that physical activity helps children learn better in class. After the run, students go to lunch, then to class. When they get outside and move, “I believe we have a group of kids more prepared to learn,” Vincent said.

Students gave the program high marks.

“It’s kind of fun; I like it a lot,” said Ralph Willis, 13. Before running, he can feel wound up, he said. “After you run, you’re calmed down.”

Dean Clavet, 12, said he likes that “everybody’s getting fit now. I never ran this much before at all.” Meagan Jordan, 13, said she likes hanging out with friends on the track and is signed up for the Veterans Day race.

Joe Benedict, 13, said he wasn’t sure at first whether he’d like the program. Running is hard for him and his family, he said. “Once I started getting into it, it’s pretty nice,” he said. Walking and running “takes a lot of stress off.”

Nathalie Theriault, 12, said getting outside and exercising improves student focus by burning up energy. “It’s better to get it out of our system than to have the teachers deal with it,” she said.

The program is scheduled to end Nov. 11, but Vincent hopes to keep it going. “It’s proven positive for our school culture,” he said. “I don’t want to drop this.”

When the 25 minutes were up Thursday, students were summoned back inside. Vincent reminded them to sign up for the race.

“Great job today, everybody,” he said.

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