Austin
ISD Elementary Schools have been chosen to receive $320,000 or $4,000 per
school, to support its Fuel Up to Play 60 initiative. Austin Elementary Schools
were selected from among hundreds of schools across the country that applied
for funding to help them jumpstart and sustain healthy eating and physical
activity improvements. This nationwide funding program offers schools up to $4,000
to help them increase awareness of and access to nutrient-rich foods and
physical activity opportunities for students. Funding for this competitive
program is provided by Dairy MAX (the regional arm of the National Dairy
Council) and America’s dairy farmers.
Fuel Up to Play 60 is a partnership between the National Dairy Council
and the NFL.
The
elementary schools are a part of a district-wide implementation to address
Coordinated School Health requirements, which involve increased physical
education and physical activity time, health education, nutrition education as
well as parent and community involvement.
The grant will also allow the district to address improving students’
fitness assessments. Along with impacting the Coordinated School Health
requirements, this implementation is aligned with the district’s strategic
goals and the school board’s value in health and safety as well as the whole
child approach towards academics.
The funds help expand the Active Play Project, a
school-based health promotion project developed in partnership with the
University of Texas School of Public Health which utilizes playground stencils
to encourage physical activity.
Initiated by Assistant Professor Andrew Springer, MPH, Dr.PH, the Active Play Project was
piloted at four AISD elementary schools in 2011 through initial funding from
the Michael and Susan Dell. Dairy MAX’s
generous grant reflects AISD’s leadership role in the Active Play Project and acknowledges the growing understanding that
by enhancing the school play yard, students increase physical activity and
expand active learning and play.
Students
will enjoy interacting with the playground stencils placed on play slabs which
have been covered under the 2004 school bond to protect children from the Texas
sun. The stencils will engage students both physically and mentally as nutrition
messages such as MyPlate, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low fat
dairy will be intergrated. "This has been a wonderful opportunity for me to explore the effects of space on the people who use it, a personal passion of mine," states Griffon Ramsey, Creative Director of the project, " With a little planning and some paint, we can make a real impact on the health and education of children. It is a relatively easy and inexpensive way to encourage a noticeable increase in self-led exercise. I'm thrilled to be involved in the reinvention of the playground!" The funds also provide the schools with
incentives and materials for students to lead the efforts. Student engagement
and promotion are central to the Fuel Up to Play 60 program. Students will
promote yogurt parfaits, create stencil game contests, and help build a
healthier school environment.
“By teaming up with Fuel Up to Play 60, all of
our elementary schools are addressing the goals of the Coordinated School
Health program and expanding on the Active Play Project. It is exciting to see our principals, PE teachers,
students and community will collaborate
to embed physical activity and healthy
eating as a part of the school culture,” says Michele Rusnak, AISD’s Supervisor
for Physical Education and lead for the district-wide implementation. “Because
of their commitment, we are able to provide the elementary schools with
playground stencils. The students will
not only get the physical benefit of being physically active but will also have
the opportunity to learn various academics through movement, such as jumping and
spelling. Current research supports that
students perform better academically when they increase physical activity. We
know that students have more of a chance of building life-long habits when they
start at an early age.”
More
than 70,000 schools across the United States are participating in Fuel Up to
Play 60. Launched by National Dairy Council, local Dairy Councils and National
Football League (NFL), in collaboration with United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA), the program encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods
and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Multiple health
organizations and several major corporations are also supporting Fuel Up to
Play 60, now in its third year.
“Fuel
Up to Play 60 has really taken off in Texas.
Wellness champions and students in more than 7,000 schools have embraced
the program, and these funds will help AISD build and sustain an already
successful program,” says Dairy MAX representative and lead for the AISD
implementation, Lisa Losasso.
Schools,
parents and students can learn more about Fuel Up to Play 60 at
FuelUpToPlay60.com. Schools can learn more about eligibility requirements, and
find the Funds for Fuel Up to Play 60 application, at FuelUpToPlay60.com. There
are several application windows each year, including upcoming deadlines June 1,
2012.
The
NEA Foundation provides grants to improve the academic achievement of students
in public schools and public, higher education institutions in any subject area.
The proposed work should engage students in critical thinking and problem
solving exercises that deepen their knowledge of standards-based subject matter.
