The youngsters at Evans City Middle School are kicking the kickball habit.

There aren't any half-pipes -- and popping and grinding is against the rules -- but physical education class for fifth- and sixth-graders has them working on core stability and balance by learning to ride skateboards.

"The interest and the excitement level right now, it's through the roof as far as the kids are concerned," said Kevin Wildrick, physical education teacher in the Seneca Valley School District school.

The middle school received a Highmark Healthy High-5 School Challenge grant of $9,830 last year to implement Evans City Skate-Pass and Cardio-Kick Program.

"The skate-pass part of it is specifically skateboarding in P.E. class," Mr. Wildrick said.

The grant allowed the school to buy 29 skateboards and helmets, elbow pads, wrist pads and knee pads.

"We didn't get any ramps, but there are some very basic ramps that we could get for very advanced skills," he said.

"It's not going to look like the X Games or anything like that. It's basically how to stand and push and just ride on the skateboard, to making turns and getting the board off the ground," he said.

The boards are built for gym classes with wheels that won't hurt wooden floors and grip tape on top that doesn't go all the way to the side of the board. That way, if the board flips, the grip will not scratch the floor, he said. The school also purchased exercise bicycles and oversized scooters that can be used in fitness stations, he said.

"The bikes can be used to just use your legs or just use your arms," so students with injuries can participate in gym class, he added.

The program will start this school year with fifth- and sixth-graders. Next year, first- through fourth-graders may use the equipment, Mr. Wildrick said.

"I just thought it was a nice, different thing to do in P.E. It wasn't your usual kickball," he said.

It's not the school's first gym-class innovation. Evans City Middle School is the only school in the district to have a 40-foot-tall climbing wall. The wall, skateboards and exercise bikes are the latest gadgets in a trend to teach students lifelong fitness skills in physical education class rather than playing kickball or dodgeball all the time, Mr. Wildrick said.

"Lifetime activities are, by far, the goal. I only see my kids twice every six days for 35 minutes. Obviously, I'm not going to make them healthy in those 35 minutes. But the goal is to give them tools to use," Mr. Wildrick said. "I just try to throw something out that maybe will stick and they will want to do later."

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