"When we ask our kids what their favorite class is, these days the answer is 'P.E.'"
Anne Sullivan, Executive Director
Magnolia Speech School

Early-childhood is a critical time for learning the language and skills needed throughout life. This can be especially challenging for children with hearing or language disorders, and speech and language development training often takes precedence over other areas of development.

Now, children at Magnolia Speech School are learning these skills in a creative way thanks to their Physical Education Program and funding from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation.

"At Magnolia, we've always prided ourselves in the ability to make learning fun," said Anne Sullivan, Executive Director of Magnolia Speech School. "But it was not until last year that we realized we were missing a key component of developing the whole child.

The grant from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation has shown us that the more exercise and physical activity the children participate in, the more motivated they are in their classroom and therapy sessions."

Magnolia received a grant from the Foundation to hire a part-time Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, who initiated their Physical Education Program. The grant money also helped purchase equipment needed for the program, including a trampoline, bicycles and tricycles. The program has shown significant impact on the children, not only in their fitness level, but in improved speech and language development.

"We knew the Physical Education Program would be a great addition to the services we provide, but we really couldn't grasp the overall positive impact it's had on our program," Sullivan said.

Magnolia Speech School received additional funds from the Foundation to enhance their physical education program, and began offering it full-time. The program had initially been offered three days per week, which meant each child only had access to the class once a week. Now, the expansion of the program will allow each child to participate in activities twice per week.

"Even children who did not move around much without being asked, are doing things like this with much more ease," says Jessica Nichols, Occupational Therapist at Magnolia. "Children with limited physical abilities can understand instructions cognitively, but have to think about how to make their bodies move. Or they have poor balance and have trouble doing things regardless. Their physical abilities have greatly improved overall."

"When we ask our kids what their favorite class is, these days the answer is 'P.E.,'" Sullivan says.