Pichkatna, Rhode Island

Pichkatna is a member of Young Voices. She spoke about the importance of PE at the American Heart Association's Youth Advocacy Day at the State House.

Good afternoon, my name is Pichkatna Ung and I am a senior at JSEC High School and also a member of Young Voices. Today, I am here to talk about the importance of physical education and how it has impacted me physically and emotionally.

I believe that PE class should be provided to all students during both semesters throughout the school year. The lessons need to be intentional and students need to learn about ways to have a healthy lifestyle. PE classes need to have proper equipment so that students can learn how to do their exercises and activities correctly. PE shouldn’t be looked as just another class or elective because a healthy mind leads to better success in the classroom.

Personally, I see gym class as a place to release stress that I get from school work daily. The weight room is the place where I challenge myself physically and allows me to get emotionally and physically better each day. It reminds us, students, to stay healthy and teaches us the importance of staying physically active. I notice that on days that I don’t have PE class, my energy level drops, and I tend not to focus in my classes.

Physical education helps introduce students to a variety of sports and games that involve physical activity. After I joined my school wrestling team in my sophomore year, I noticed myself gaining confidence, and self-discipline on and off the mats. I learned how to choose a healthy school lunch and most importantly, I noticed my performance in wrestling and in the classroom have improved dramatically. In sport and physical education, I became more physically and academically stronger over the past few years.