http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/arti...x?storyid=80182
'Port Richey, Florida - Every teacher has his or her specialty. For Bunnie McCormack, it is laughter.
The Chasco Middle School media specialist is teaching her reading students that laughter can help them improve their grades.
McCormack tells the students, "It helps change your attitude, make you feel physically better and it enhances your whole day.”
McCormack says once students start seeing improvement, it helps them stay motivated to stay in school, to do their work and cooperate with teachers.
When classes get tough, 8th grader Amanda Bell tries to find the funny side.
"If you have a hard time, just laugh about it and get back on your work, try harder,” says Amanda.
The students also use laughter in place of fighting. Amanda says it's better to laugh than argue, "So you take it out on laughing instead of hitting people or bullying people."
McCormack explains the physical effects of laughter. "We know it physically helps with digestion, circulation, respiration. It makes you feel better. It's exercise, so it's invigorating."
Hailey Lopez finds it takes less energy to laugh than it does to be angry.
"I've learned if you laugh more, you enjoy life more. You're relaxed, you're calm.”
If laughter keeps these students in school, McCormack says she'll laugh with them all the way to graduation day.
The 8th grade students made a video about the laugh class and won the school district's county wide media competition. The students move on to the state finals in October. "