At Fierke Education Center in Oak Forest, students aren’t locked into traditional physical education classes this school year.
The elementary school, at 6535 Victoria Drive, held an open house Thursday night so students and their families could experience the new rock-climbing wall and climbing rope that have been installed in the gym.
The 36-foot-long traverse wall stands 8 feet tall. It is called a “traverse” wall because students cross from one side of the room to the other rather than climbing vertically. No student is ever more than three feet off the floor, and mats cover the wall for safety reasons when the wall is not in use.
“I have been using the traverse wall on a regular basis with all my classes,” Fierke physical education teacher Teri Charpenel said. “I have been using it to develop thinking skills, where students must think how they are going to cross to the other side and must know where to place their hands and their feet, and to develop their upper-body strength and endurance. You’d be amazed how much upper-body strength it takes to go all 36 feet without letting go.”
It was Charpenel’s idea to have the rock-climbing wall installed after she decided students were not experiencing enough upper-body-building activities. Students began using the wall during physical education classes at the start of the school year.
Charpenel, who has been teaching PE for 22 years, four of those at Fierke, emphasizes how beneficial climbing is and why it is being integrated into classes and how PE overall is changing at the school because of it. She even instructs after-school climbing classes.
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“I absolutely love it,” said Cassie Coppolillo, of Oak Forest, a parent. “It’s really different than typical rock-climbing walls because it’s horizontal instead of vertical. You definitely don’t see it everywhere, and the kids love it.”
Palos Sports, of Alsip, installed the wall just before the school year started in August. Money for the wall was raised by the Fierke PTA and Charpenel’s “Jump to Climb” event in May.
“I gave out gifts based on the donations that the students brought in,” she said, “and the day of our event, the students brought in their donations and participated in fun jumping-related activities that included the long jump rope, single jump rope, jump bands and hurdles.”
Preschool through fifth-grade students raised $6,300, and the PTA contributed the remaining $1,200 needed to buy and install the wall.
Another addition was a climbing rope. Students are secured with a bungee/harness combination that hangs from the gymnasium ceiling. Rope-climbing allows children to test their strength and agility.
The first one to attempt climbing the rope Thursday night was Taylor Zielinski, 9, of Oak Forest, who was described by her grandmother, Barb Zielinski, as very ambitious.
“She is very active and outgoing and really enjoys all the features that are offered here,” Barb said.
The after-school clubs began this fall after parents reached out to Charpenel indicating they would like to see climbing clubs for the students. She and second-grade teacher Dannielle Kijewski began a climbing and fitness club with first-graders. After getting positive feedback from parents, Charpenel formed a third- and fourth-grade climbing club that meets after school on Thursdays.
There are 70 students involved in the after-school clubs, and a second-grade climbing club, using help from fifth-graders, is set to start in December.
“This has been a great addition to our school,” Charpenel said.
Kelly White is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.