Michelle Rist

The "S.M.A.R.T. Boost-Up Program" is the winning project developed by Rist for students at Valley Springs Elementary School. The purpose of the program is to train kindergarten and first-grade teachers as well as physical education instructors in the Boost-Up program. Boost-Up is a program that uses a multi-sensory approach to excel readiness skills in students and help them succeed in a classroom setting. Incorporating music, physical activity and games, the program includes a curriculum that helps boost brain function and helps create connections in the brain. Students in the program will attend a daily 30-minute session led by an instructor where they will work on activities to increase balance, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, bilateral coordination, visual acuity, eye movement, and focus/concentration. The students will also work on eye teaming, laterality, directionality, visual analysis, and more. Research has shown that there is a correlation between the neurons used in the brain for physical activity and those used for reading, writing, and math. Rist, who lives in Brandon, hopes that students involved in the program will improve their reading abilities, and increase their chances for a quality education for years to come.