Childers Police and Isis District State High School have teamed up for a third time to run a popular student fitness and wellbeing program called Blue Edge.
More than 20 students from the school arrive at 6.45 am twice a week to workout, play games, hear from guest speakers and eat a gourmet brekky cooked fresh by volunteers every session.
The students have had park rangers, pilates instructors, police, paramedics and even Olympic gold medallists as guests attend the sessions, workout with them and have a chat afterwards.
Teacher Lauren Warschauer, who runs the program with Constable Rohin Power with the help of volunteers, has seen the benefits for the students first hand.
“I’ve seen the students improve their fitness, become more engaged with fitness and health science as well as form friendships with the other members of the groups,” she said.
“It’s been really beneficial.”
Constable Power said he had also observed the benefits of the strengthened relationship between the students and police.
“We have different officers come down throughout the program and just hang out and work out with the kids,” Constable Power said.
“The kids end up asking a lot of questions and getting quite interested.
“It’s also nice for the officers to take some time out from dealing with more stressful jobs and just hang out with our young community members.
“It’s also a good opportunity for the kids to ask questions they are unsure about such as driving with/without P plates, hooning, or whatever it is and find out the consequences in a conversation rather than on the side of the road getting a ticket.”
