PERU, Ind. – Thanks to a generous grant from Northern Indiana Power Supply Company (NIPSCO), incoming kindergarten students in Chas Zelinsky’s class at Pipe Creek Elementary will have an array of alternative seating choices. An $1,100 grant was awarded by NIPSCO for Zelinsky to purchase alternative seating and “objects to direct fidgeting positively” which will help them focus in the classroom. Zelinsky said she is “honored and ecstatic” to receive the grant from NIPSCO. Zelinsky began researching movement in her classroom several years ago after noticing a rise in students’ inability to focus. She believes this rise correlates with a decline in student core muscle strength. “Students don’t have strong core muscles because they are doing significantly less activities that allow for the development of these muscles and as a result they often compensate for the poor muscle development by moving very frequently.” Zelinsky received national press coverage several years ago for implementing yoga in her kindergarten classroom for the same reason. This is the third grant received by Pipe Creek Elementary for alternative seating and the second grant received by NIPSCO for the same initiative.