(MINNEAPOLIS)— Augsburg College physical education and exercise science students will use knowledge gained in the classroom to deliver smiles to more than 250 grade-school and middle-school children who will be at the 15th Annual Sports Extravaganza, a one-day event through which children with physical, cognitive and learning disabilities play on campus.

The success of Sports Extravaganza, slated for November 18, hinges upon the participation of Augsburg students. Together, students and faculty members create activity stations in the Augsburg Athletics dome and then assist children with each activity.

“Augsburg students take what they’ve learned in the classroom and then go out and do this event,” said Carol Enke, Sports Extravaganza director and Augsburg College HPE instructor. “The young students come to campus, and they help [Augsburg] students grow.”

Sports Extravaganza is an opportunity for College students to teach a young population they may not have worked with previously. Augsburg students problem solve, use encouraging messages and motivation techniques, and increase their adeptness at instructing children with disabilities.

Event participants play games and complete activities that include bowling, soccer, relay races, dancing and more. The carefully planned stations have emotional and physical benefits for the children who rarely get to deeply participate in physical activities.

Sports Extravaganza was founded in 1999 and continues to be an annual College tradition due to its myriad benefits for Twin Cities area children and Augsburg students enrolled in nearly a half-dozen HPE courses. This year’s Sports Extravaganza was organized by Enke and three teachers who instruct developmental adapted physical education in Twin Cities metro area suburban primary schools.

Sports Extravaganza students will be on campus from more than 25 schools from Bloomington, Buffalo, Minneapolis, Oakdale, Richfield, St. Paul and Wayzata.

Schedule

• Sports Games: 10 – 11:30 a.m.
• Lunch: 11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Sports Games: 12 – 1:15 p.m.

Photo Releases

All attendees, the majority of whom are less than 18 years of age, have signed media releases on file with their participating school.

Where

Media Contact

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Augsburg students in the HPE 254 (Introduction to Development and Adapted Physical Education) class both organize and participate with elementary children in Grades 3-6 from Minneapolis, St. Paul, and other nearby suburban schools.  In this way, Augsburg students give back to their community, gain valuable experience working with children with disabilities, and everyone has fun in the process. Not only do the HPE students teach and interact with these young children, they also share encouraging messages and cheer the children to do their best.

Carol Enke, the director of Sports Extravaganza, is a HPE teacher at Augsburg College.  Enke and Nancy Rude Gordon started this event 9 years ago to create a unique learning experience for the HPE students.  The plan was to create valuable teaching experiences that otherwise could not be provided in the classroom setting.

This year’s Sports Extravaganza is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 10 a.m. in the Augsburg dome.  Since its launch in 1999, the event has steadily grown in numbers.  Some 200-250 children with disabilities are expected to participate in the event this year.

The Augsburg dome, more formally known as the Seasonal Air Structure, is over the Edor-Nelson Athletic Field. .

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