Jordan Worley was recently awarded Girl Scouting’s highest honor, the Gold Award. She chose her project, entitled “Dance Techniques through Rhythm and Movement”, to show children a fun way to become more physically active and also gain an appreciation for the art of dance.
Worley’s inspiration for her project came a year ago while reading an article in “The Citizen” about obesity rates in Georgia’s children
According to the article, “Georgia ranks 17th in the nation for childhood obesity, third in the nation for prevalence of overweight children, and 10th nationally when combining both factors”.
Through further research, Jordan learned that children eat 31 percent more calories than 40 years ago. They also spend an average of 7.5 hours a day using entertainment media like TV, cell phones, and computers, resulting in a more sedentary lifestyle (www.childhealthdata.org).
Inspired, Worley planned a 137 hour project as a way to reach out into the community and teach children about the benefits of good diet and exercise.
She chose to teach dance classes through the After School Program (ASP) at two different Fayette County elementary schools for the 2013-2014 school year- Kedron Elementary and Crabapple Lane Elementary. Since dance is not taught in Fayette County’s elementary schools, Worley decided that through teaching she could show children how dance can be a fun way to exercise and, at the same time, make dance more accessible to elementary school children.
She says that not only does she want to educate children about the benefits of good diet and exercise but also instil in them an appreciation for the art of dance.
As an assistant dance instructor at her dance studio, Jordan has enjoyed teaching and inspiring the love of dance to her young students. She said, “Dancers are creative thinkers and problem solvers. They are compassionate and expressive. Dance will teach children teamwork, discipline, and creativity; all skills they can use throughout their lives”.
Worley began teaching the children how to move their bodies with purpose to music and rhythm patterns using simple loco motor gaits such as galloping, skipping, jumping, and leaping.
Soon the children began to learn what their different body parts could do in movement. She taught them how to warm up their bodies with simple stretching exercises and explained the benefits of simple stretching before beginning any exercise.
As the children progressed through her classes, Worley introduced them to different types of dance such as ballet, tap, modern/contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop.
The children were given many opportunities to be creative through participation in dance improvisation. At the end of each dance unit, the children learned a choreographed dance sequence which they were often able to perform for their parents and ASP friends. They enjoyed using different props to enhance their dance fun. At the completion of the class in May, the children designed posters to show their peers what they liked about dance and what they learned from it. The posters were hung in the schools hallways to inspire and educate other children about the benefits of a good diet and exercise.
Worley also invited nutritionist Erin Jerger, with Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc., to come speak to the children about the importance of good nutrition.
The children enjoyed making a simple, nutritious smoothie using blueberries and spinach. They received healthy, easy to make recipes to take home and share with their families.
At the completion of her project, Worley gave each student a memory book documenting their participation in her class. She included an information sheet for their parents detailing her project and the lessons she hoped their children received from their participation.
Worley hopes the children will use the memory books to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for dance with their parents and peers.
In order to inspire other Girl Scouts to complete their Gold Award, Worley plans to speak to younger Girl Scout troops about the experiences and knowledge she gained from completing her project. She wants younger scouts to know that by completing a Girl Scout Gold Award project; they are doing something special- giving themselves the opportunity to make a difference in their communities and possibly the world.
Worley is a junior at McIntosh High School, a member of the national BETA club, and plays clarinet with the McIntosh Wind Ensemble. She volunteers as an assistant dance instructor with the Peachtree City School of Dance. She enjoys contemporary/modern, jazz, and tap dance and has been taking dance for eight years. She hopes to attend the University of Georgia and pursue an interior design degree.
Worley joined Girl Scouts as a Daisy and has been a member of Troop #19175 in Peachtree City for 11 years.
