The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Community

Discussion

October 22, 2009

Fitness center wants to team with school district

By Matt Snyder

MERCER AREA — Mercer Area School Board is weighing a proposal that would let students go to a Coolspring Township fitness center as an after-school program.

The school board has just begun to look at the program, which was pitched Monday night by Cool Springs Fitness Center spokesman Kenneth J. Ferrans Jr. Some version of the idea might be established as soon as the start of 2010.

What’s being offered is an hour to hour-and-a-half after-school program that might involve crafts or other activities, Ferrans said.

Much is tentative, but Cool Springs Fitness wants to know what the school needs to make the idea work – for instance, if a new field would need to be built, Ferrans said. In turn, Cool Springs Fitness wants to know whether the schools can bus kids to the center.

While it’s still in the early idea phase, Ferrans said they are modeling the program on a similar one by the YMCA in Grove City. Parents would probably pay a small day-care-type fee for the activities, he said, but reiterated that it’s too soon to know how that would work.

It may begin as a pilot program with certain grades, Ferrans said, but Cool Springs is interested in introducing it for all school-age children, from kindergarten through high school.

There isn’t a firm list of activities yet, but Ferrans said they are talking to coaches and the center could offer things like swimming, gymnastics, volleyball, crafts, or educational activities, if school officials would prefer.

Text Only
Community
  • Vets’ clubs coordinate coupon clipping for troops

    The next time you come across coupons for items you don’t buy or that have expired, hang on to them; military men and women overseas can use them for their own groceries.

    February 6, 2012

  • American chestnut topic of workshops

    If you have an interest in helping contribute to the eventual return of American chestnut to our forest ecosystems, one of these workshops might be your cure for spring fever:

    February 4, 2012

  • Farrell grad a classic(al) example

    A Farrell High School graduate will return to the Shenango Valley next weekend to perform with an elite classical guitar quartet from the State University of New York at Fredonia.

    February 2, 2012

  • Kids meet challenge with 3-D creations

    When Sharpsville Area Elementary School fifth-grade teachers asked students to create their own cities, they were expecting colorful drawings of buildings, parks and streets.

    February 1, 2012

  • Student revives animation technique for feature spot in band’s music video

    Westminster College sophomore Joe Ligo knew the process of incorporating stop-motion animation into the video wouldn’t be easy.

    January 29, 2012

  • New coffee house Hallowed grounds

    Churches look to infuse faith in believers in all kinds of ways.

    At First Presbyterian Church of Sharon, leaders are hoping a little bit of coffee might help.

    Last week the church hosted its first Cana’s Corner Coffeehouse. Twice a month the church will open its doors to musicians and set up a coffee and snack bar.

    January 24, 2012 1 Photo

  • Hallowed grounds

    Churches look to infuse faith in believers in all kinds of ways.
    At First Presbyterian Church of Sharon, leaders are hoping a little bit of coffee might help.

    January 15, 2012

  • Satellite office

    For nearly 30 years, Sharon native Edward “Ted” Cattron was bound by threat of treason charges to keep a big secret from his family and friends and only recently has been able to share the truth.

    December 11, 2011

  • Artist creates with fabric

    Evian Zukas-Oguz said her husband calls her “the nutty professor of fabric” because of the way she goes into her own world when crocheting, sewing, weaving on a loom or working on a knitting machine.

    December 8, 2011

  • 19th drive reaches $13,764

    The Herald Good News Fund’s 19th annual drive that will provide turkeys for Christmas to local families in need has collected $13,764 so far.

    December 7, 2011