Photo Courtesy of Kim Blitek
Through an Annual Grant awarded by the Naperville Education Foundation (NEF) in 2019, Kingsley Elementary School students participate in DrumFIT cardio drumming, a creative way to support both physical and social and emotional health.
Kimberly Blitek, physical education teacher at Kingsley, first learned about cardio drumming through DrumFIT at the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance Convention. After seeing the activity in action, she wanted to bring DrumFIT to Kingsley.
“I realized what a great workout it gave and how much fun it was,” Blitek said. “It’s just something completely outside the box.”
Knowing she did not have the budget for the materials, Blitek applied for an NEF Annual Grant. Her initial application was denied, but she remained determined to bring DrumFIT to Kingsley.
Blitek contacted DrumFIT and was able to borrow equipment for Kingsley’s field day. With the help of her staff, she created a green screen demonstration video that students could follow along with.
She invited NEF’s Executive Director, Wendy Goettsch, and NEF Board Adviser Kitty Ryan to see DrumFIT in action at Kingsley.
“It’s a learning activity that I feel very passionately about, knowing the positive impact it would have on our students,” Blitek said. “ I didn’t want to give up on it.”
Blitek resubmitted her Annual Grant application the following year and her proposal was approved.
“The DruFIT program is unique and a highly engaging way for all students to meet national, state and district physical education standards while also enhancing the music education curriculum,” Blitek wrote in the grant proposal. “It is adaptable for all physical ability levels and can be used K-5 by all students who are in our building. It is a non-competitive program that allows everyone to get fit together. Drumming and dancing are proven mindfulness strategies to help calm the brain when students are feeling emotionally unsettled.”
Now, there is a DrumFIT unit in Physical Education classes at Kingsley, along with there being a DrumFIT activity station at their annual Field Day. The DrumFIT exercise balls are also used for other activities throughout the year.
In 2020, Blitek created a special team of Kingsley DrumFIT students to connect with Lincoln Junior High School students, where Nadine Stanley, a physical education teacher, wanted to introduce the DrumFIT program.
“The students created a green screen video with the help of Mr. Stumpenhorst, the LC director at Lincoln, and were all ready to perform for the NEF Building a Passion Breakfast,” Blitek said. “But then the lockdown happened, so we shared it virtually instead so all their hard work wasn’t wasted.”
Since 2019, the DrumFIT materials have been a valuable addition to Kingsley.
“We’re so grateful that we had this program funded because it’s something that has continued to be a great addition to our resources for PE, intramurals and other activities school wide,” Blitek said. “Without the NEF funding, we wouldn’t have been able to provide this learning experience for our students.”
