Everyone knows exercise is good for you. The young people at PEP Chesnutt know it too, but like most of us, they sometimes struggle with the motivation to actually do it. That changed when Jasmine Vaughn, associate teacher counselor, introduced a weekly “PT Test” for her high school boys.
Inspired by the “Physical Training Tests” she completed while part of the Army National Guard, Vaughn designed a workout to both challenge and motivate her students. Before their first test, each student completes a benchmark assessment to measure baseline fitness. Then, every week, Vaughn sets up stations around the gym where students spend two minutes at each exercise - pushups, sit-ups, and more - before rotating to the next. To finish, they run four laps around the building. Vaughn always joins in herself.
The results were immediate. “We do it at the start of the day and it helps the kids regulate,” Vaughn explained. “On the days of the test, the kids are calm, they stay in their areas, and they can focus on their work.”
The Link to Neuroscience
This outcome aligns with the research behind the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics™ (NMT), an approach used throughout PEP. Dr. Bruce Perry, founder of NMT and an expert in child development and trauma, emphasizes the importance of the sequence of engagement—regulate, relate, and reason. For a child to learn and problem-solve (reason), they must first achieve emotional regulation. Strong, trusted relationships are key to helping students regulate, which then opens the door to deeper learning.
Patterned, rhythmic, and repetitive activities, like those in the PT Test, play a critical role in this process. They help calm and organize brain centers that may have been disrupted by trauma, laying the foundation for connection and reasoning. And when these exercises are done alongside a trusted adult like Ms. Vaughn, the impact on regulation is even greater.
The impact has been so positive that the PT Test has expanded to the entire school. Some students even practice at home, eager to improve their scores. “We periodically conduct another assessment, and they want to see their scores improve,” said Vaughn. “They don’t ‘play’ when it comes to the PT Test.”
For the students, the benefits are personal and meaningful. “I look forward to the PT Test because it helps get my energy out,” said one. Another noted, “I love it. I like accountability, and it helps me hold myself accountable.”
Learn More
For more information about what is happening at PEP’s Therapeutic Schools, visit our website. Contact Nicole Molnar, sr. director, clinical services, at 216-361-7760 ext. 110 or via email to see if a student in your district may be a good fit for Positive Education Program.
Please note, referrals to PEP’s Therapeutic Schools are made through school districts in consultation with parents. Interested parents or caregivers should contact their school administrator.