Tulsa Students Taking Ballet Lessons To Increase Physical Activity

There are national studies that show participation in physical activity helps students learn. Well, some students at Tulsa's Wright Elementary may be ‘Leaps Ahead.’

Once a week for six weeks, students from Wright Elementary go to one of the Tulsa Ballet’s outreach programs, Leaps Ahead, for 45 minutes of instruction.

Sherry Bryant is the music teacher at Wright and she's been bringing second, third and fourth graders for years. She loves the program.

"It's a class, it's not play time, they work hard," she said. "What it does it gives them self-confidence."

And for many, she said, it’s a life experience they'd not otherwise have.

The kids get 45 minutes out of their day to get up and move, and they’re learning from professional instructors.

Wright is the center for deaf education in Tulsa Public Schools and the students and their interpreters participate right along with everyone else.

Tulsa Ballet has several outreach programs, and you can find out about all of them at a by emailing colleen.lahti@tulsaballet.org.