What was your first experience with Heart Zones PE technology?
For many years of teaching, Matt Barrows had always been intrigued with adding Heart Zones into their PE program, they had just never had the financials to be able to get it for their school. Seeing the capabilities of it through social media was the driving factor of the want. He was finally able to get the Heart Zones program for their Missouri school in December 2024 through fundraising.
" I chose to do this because I enjoy breaking barriers and pushing the limits of PE. The innovation of this smart PE tech lets our students and myself dig deeper into an understanding of our heart and body health during our classes. "
Thanks to a collective effort by Matt Barrows, his principal, parent-teacher association, and Education Foundation, Heart Zones is now being put in action at Rising Hill Elementary!
How has your PE program changed since you started using Heart Zones?
Matt Barrows is proud of the PE program he has built, which has always been more of a dynamic style of Physical Education. According to Matt Barrows, PE at Rising Hill Elementary is a place where kids don’t realize how hard they are working until class is finished because of the fun they are having. Participation has always been high in my classes due to knowing exactly what is happening when they come into the gym, choice driven activities with our warm-up, and games that emphasize teamwork, communication, and cooperation.
" By bringing in the Heart Zones technology, students now had real time data to help them understand what their body was doing during our warm-up and lead game. It was very easy to continue our dynamic lessons in PE and just embed the Heart Zones into what we were already doing. "
As a school that utilizes Conscious Discipline, the understanding of their body focus, breathing, and control heightens with the real time data. At Rising Hill Elementary, they don’t just learn how to get their heart rates up while exercising, they also see how these everyday classroom techniques can bring their bodies back to a calm state, and the students can watch their heart rates in the moment!
What have others in your school administration said about your innovations?
Matt Barrows says that "the implementation of Heart Zones at Rising Hill has been energizing for our entire school community." When Matt first began integrating Heart Zones with his staff before introducing it to students, their reactions were filled with "excitement, amazement, and a sense of possibility."
" My administrators have been especially impressed with the organization of the bands, the clear display of heart‑zone data, and the exercise videos that encourage movement. Sharing our progress on social media has sparked curiosity from other districts, leading PE teachers to reach out and visit to see the system in action. "
The positive impact has extended to families as well. According to Matt, at the first parent event following implementation of Heart Zones, "the line to view student data stretched across the gym, showing just how eager parents were to learn more." Their enthusiasm, combined with the excitement of students and educators, reinforces how powerful and innovative this system has been for Rising Hill Elementary. Heart Zones, Matt says, has "elevated engagement, strengthened conversations about fitness and effort, and created meaningful connections among students, staff, and families."
What do you like the most about Heart Zones? The least?
With Heart Zones, Matt appreciates the fact that students have "real time data to track themselves" which motivates them to push harder and earn the "five stars."
" Students become more heart aware at a young age. They are very easy for students to use. I even have my kindergarteners using them! "
My least favorite thing has been the setup process with adding students/classes each year. It is very time consuming to get it rolling and a bit intimidating too. Though it can be a bit tedious, once you know how, the process goes a lot quicker!
Did you face any challenges with your facility when incorporating Heart Zones?
Matt has a projector in his gym but he uses it a lot during his lessons so it was hard to run the Heart Zones' "big board" and his lesson activities at the same time. It would also require dimming the lights way down low so students could see. So, Matt ended up raising more money to get a TV and protective case that he could run the big board throughout class. The “Heart Zones TV” is now centrally displayed in the gym, "so students can see what their heart is doing at any point in the lesson, no matter where they are at in the gym!" Matt is also able to have his hanging charging station hung on the wall and connected to an outlet which makes for easy recharging of devices.
" My school has fully supported my endeavors to make this work logistically in the gym and for our students. We are also currently switching up our grading systems to emphasize more participation and effort which can be definitively tracked while using heart zones. This will provide clarity and data to back student grades! "
Funding is important. How were you able to secure funding for this PE technology?
In Matt's own words, funding for this was always his biggest hiccup. But, he believes he was able to share his passion and want for Heart Zones with the right person! His friend and retired educator Bob Hiatt had recently undergone heart surgery. While they were playing pickleball together, Matt shared his idea with Bob to get Heart Zones going for Rising Hill Elementary. Without hesitation, he said “Let’s make it happen!”
Mr. Hiatt took charge with this initiative and immediately began the fundraising process through his Education Foundation account. They did lots of advertising for why they need Heart Zones in their school. They had support from their Rising Hill community, doctors, and organizations that wanted to help fund their mission!
" We reached out to companies and organizations that would have a vested interest in youth heart health, and we were able to get a lot of support locally. We created flyers, mailed letters, e-mailed organizations, and did walk-ins to doctor’s offices to gain fundraising support from others. "
Is there someone who deserves mention or credit for supporting and helping you?
My friend and retired educator Bob Hiatt was my lead support in our mission for Heart Zones. His passion to provide technology for kids to better understand their own heart health kicked this all into high gear! Bob visits my PE classes throughout the year to interact with the students, share heart information with them, and help provide them with an extra boost of knowledge and understanding. KC Life Insurance also deserves a big thank you, as they contributed half of the fundraising needed to implement Heart Zones for our Rising Hill PE program. This contribution was the final wave that pushed the fundraising to the peak for us to be able to get Heart Zones in a timely manner!
As the first school in their district to utilize Heart Zones, Rising Hill Elementary is now getting to the point where other schools have either started their own Heart Zones PE programs, or intend on beginning fundraising. Matt believes this would be beneficial for all the schools in his district to utilize them especially with the change in their grading system incoming. He loves to advocate or show how they use Heart Zones in their gym while still maintaining an effective use of their time. They have a very routine start and finish, which helps move the process along quickly for the kids so they can get started quickly, and waste no time at the end cleaning up!
Rising Hill students with heart rate monitors in PE class
Student Testimonials:
How has Heart Zones helped you learn and grow in PE?
Myla: "They help me learn and grow by showing me if I need to work harder or slow down and take a deep breath."
Why would this be something that other PE programs should try?
Myla: "They are fun and make you work harder while giving you motivation."
What is your favorite activity to do in PE with the heart rate monitors?
Myla: "When we are doing warm-ups so I can get my heart warmed up and ready for the game we’re about to play."
Getting Heart Rates Up in PE - see more videos of Heart Zones at Rising Hill Elementary HERE!
What do you enjoy most about our Heart Zones?
Ashlynn: "I like being able to see what my heart is doing on whatever screen is available."
Is there anything you would change about the Heart Zones to make them better?
Ashlynn: "Switch the FIT Stars to Fit Hearts since they are “Heart Zones”."
Favorite PE activity to do while using Heart Zones?
Ashlynn: "Running because it makes your heart rate go higher and higher."
Finally, Tell us more about you:
Matt Barrows has been teaching physical education for 15 years. This is his third year at Rising Hill Elementary with Heart Zones incorporated into his PE program and running smoothly. Matt spent his childhood in the Kansas City area, later attending Northwest Missouri State University for both his undergraduate and graduate programs.
Matt's desire is for "all kids to find a love for moving in one way or another." He seeks to accomplish this by providing materials and experiences that keep kids engaged where they can find that love even at a young age! Matt is very keen on "using community resources and grants to bring in extraordinary experiences in PE."
" This year, I was recognized as MOSHAPE Elementary PE teacher of the year which is truly an honor to be recognized for the work that is put into this profession. I love to share and teach others what I do, in hopes that we can make more kids feel passionate about their own personal health and wellness. "
Throughout his career, Matt has been able to raise over $50,000 via grants and fundraising for more experiences and equipment for students at 6 different schools. If you would like to hear from Matt Barrows yourself about his incredible work in the field of health and physical education, please feel free to reach out to him at Matt.Barrows@nkcschools.org. Or if you would like to see Heart Zones live in action, contact staff@heartzones.com or book a free demonstration here!