Bob Hill, education manager for Ergotron, said students that use standing desks in the classroom burn more calories and have a higher heart rate which means the students will be more involved in the learning process.
“I actually do like them a lot,” said Isiah Oberg, a 10th grader in Jolie Martinez’s math class at the high school. “The stools we sit in are a little uncomfortable but I guess the point is to get us to stand, isn’t it?”
The active schools essay contest gave the high school their first set of height-adjustable desks but students have been using standing desks for some time. The high’s school’s construction technology program built 36 standing desks a couple years ago and Genova said the teachers loved them.
“There were too many teachers asking for desks that we just didn’t have. It was a good problem to have,” Genova said adding that the essay contest was the perfect opportunity to expand upon the idea.
The sit-stand desk approach is not necessarily just for students, said Betsey Banker, vertical marketing manager for Ergotron.
“While most of the research we’re doing is going into the education side of things, some of the research we’re doing now is proving that this works for people of all ages,” Banker said adding that more than 90 percent of the desks in the Ergotron offices are standing ones.
Hill said Ergotron’s mission is to have an emphasis on “whole body education.” Ergotron isn’t the only company to make this move. About 33 percent of companies in the country have standing desks in some capacity, according to a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) study found at www.shrm.org.
“I think organizations and schools alike are starting to see the benefits of these desks.” Banker said.
Hill said having a more active classroom experience can improve general academic performance.
“Our whole aim is to provide a low-level physical activity focus into the classroom, to really make sure that the kids are actually engaged in what they’re learning,” Hill said.