YO-YO LESSON: STUDENTS GIVEN TIPS ON LIFE FROM PROFESSIONAL

Ned the yo-yo, his dog, ray-gun toting aliens and flying trapeze artists took students at Alma Schrader Elementary School on a wild, imaginary roller coaster ride during an assembly Monday.

Luke Breneman used a rollicking tale full of fun characters as a backdrop to the many tricks he demonstrated using a yo-yo.

Walking the dog, making four-leaf clovers, riding roller coasters and launching space shuttles were only a few of the tricks Breneman demonstrated during the performance.

Breneman, a professional yo-yoer, tours the nation performing tricks in school assemblies. He said his employer, USA Yoyo Extravaganza, sponsors the tours to provide students with encouragement to be champions at whatever they want to do in life.

"This all started because somebody wanted to do something nice for kids," said Breneman, who lives in St. Louis and delivers some 400 motivational speeches annually. "It's a great program that I think kids get a lot out of."

Although he is now a professional yo-yoer, Breneman didn't begin playing with the toy until after graduating from college with a degree in theater.

Despite his lack of experience, he was hired and spent an intensive summer of training as preparation for his new career.

"They needed someone who could be an entertainer," he said. "It's a lot easier to teach a theater guy how to yo-yo than it is to teach a yo-yo guy how to captivate an audience."

Although he has mastered many tricks of the trade, Breneman said he still has to practice if he wants to maintain his mastery or to learn a new trick. With the popularity of yo-yos again on the upswing, he's most often learning new tricks at junior high schools and at yo-yo shops in malls.

"For the most part, my shows are my practices unless I'm learning a new trick," he said. "When I see a new one I want to learn, I will sit down and work for hours until I've got it."

Parent Teacher Association president Tonia Lane said students will have the opportunity to purchase yo-yos provided by Breneman after school throughout the week. A portion of proceeds will go to the school, with the remainder going to USA Yoyo Extravaganza.

Lane said she asked principal Frank Ellis to authorize Breneman's visit on the same day he had banned yo-yos from the school. Ellis said the ban seemed necessary because some students were distracting others in class.

However, because of the motivational factor of Breneman's message, the assembly was scheduled, said Lane.

Both she and Breneman seemed confident students would use their second chance more responsibly.

Said Lane: "I think they're going to be concentrating on the tricks, especially since they've had their privileges taken away before."

Said Breneman: "If students follow our directions and teachers hold them to it, it won't be a problem. We always suggest setting up a coned-off yo-yo area because there are safety issues to consider. We also tell kids not to play with them inside and to be at least an arm's throw length away from anybody."

Breneman said the yo-yo is a fun pastime because it can be taken anywhere. Although looping and throwing tricks aren't advisable insides, students can practice spinning and simple maneuvers while standing in lines or playing in the park, he said.

"Parents would rather have their kids outside in the fresh air, and the yo-yo is so much more proactive than sitting in front of a Nintendo all day long," he said. "Another great thing is you'll find that the older kids will teach the younger kids new tricks, so it gets them outside and helps them to be more interactive. "