Fitness is Fun!
February 2006

PCPFS 50 Year Celebration
The PCPFS Council members, Science Board, and staff are getting ready for 2006, the 50 year celebration of the creation of the PCPFS, originally known as President's Council on Youth Fitness. We encourage national, state, local, private and public organizations, industry, volunteer groups to join us in highlighting the benefits of a fit and active lifestyle and all of the great model programs at the grassroots level! This is a great opportunity for the PCPFS to highlight all of your accomplishment. A special seal has been developed for this celebration and is available for all schools, businesses, and organizations to use. A fact sheet on becoming a partner can be viewed at http://www.presidentschallenge.org/misc/news_research/announcements/pcpfs50.pdf If you'd like to find out more, please don't hesitate to call Chris Spain at the President's Council Physical Fitness and Sports 202-690-9000.

General Mills Grants for PALA Awards
A unique partnership between the President's Challenge and General Mills Community Action is allowing eligible schools to receive free Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) emblems and certificates for eligible students at their school. Through the General Mills Champions for Healthy Kids program, General Mills Community Action will provide Presidential recognition to eligible low socioeconomic status schools (up to 25,000 students) and the President's Challenge will list the school on our Web site, http://www.presidentschallenge.com/ as a "General Mills Challenge School." In order to be eligible for the awards, students must meet the PALA requirements of being physically active 60 minutes per day, five days a week for six weeks. Also, if 35% of the student population earns the PALA award two or more times during the school year, the school will automatically earn the distinction of becoming a President's Challenge Active Lifestyle Model School. If you are a low socioeconomic status school, fill out the application at http://www.presidentschallenge.org/advocates/gen_mills_sponsorform.pdfand send it in to the President's Challenge office.

President's Challenge Introduces New Materials
In conjunction with the 50 year celebration of the PCPFS, The President's Challenge is offering award certificates proudly displaying the Council's 50th anniversary logo. The certificates will be available through 2006 and will be sent in place of certificates bearing the normal logo unless otherwise specified.

The President's Challenge has also produced an adult version of the educational and instructional booklet 'Get Fit.' The guide, titled 'Stay Active and Be Fit! A Guide to Fitness and Activity Fundamentals,' encompasses topics such as effective goal-setting, getting started, and flexibility and strength training workouts. The guide can be purchased from The President's Challenge by ordering online at http://www.presidentschallenge.org or calling 1-800-258-8146, or downloaded from the Web site at http://www.presidentschallenge.org/pdf/getfit.pdf

Highmark Offers Challenge for Healthier Schools Grant Program
The Challenge Grant Program supports the communities where Highmark does business and augments or generates programs to create healthier, more successful students. For nearly five years, Highmark (an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association) has been a leader in the fight against childhood obesity. Since schools are seen as the major touch point for obesity prevention, Highmark is providing the resources needed to help schools provide quality physical activities and improve nutrition choices and education. Highmark is launching its third annual Highmark Challenge for Healthier Schools grant program. Highmark will award grants ranging from $3,000 to $12,000 to eligible schools in western PA, central PA and the Lehigh Valley. The Challenge Grant Program, a component of Highmark's Challenge for Healthier Schools corporate obesity initiative, will provide funding to districts or individual schools to implement evidence-based nutrition and physical activity programs. For more the grant application and for guidelines, please visit https://www.highmark.com/hmk2/community/programs/challenge.shtml

UPCOMING EVENTS

Google Map Pedometer
If you've ever taken a walk or gone on a run and wanted to know how far you ventured, Google has come up with a tool that you may find invaluable. The Google Map Pedometer, at http://www.webwalking.com/googlemap.htm allows you to enter in a street address and click your recent route on a map detailed to street level to calculate distance. Entering in additional information allows for calculations such as calories burned, average pace and average speed. You can also save your favorite routes for future reference. Use this new tool to track your progress and keep you motivated!.

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Action for Healthy Kids
The Action for Healthy Kids-NFL After-school Program has been designed for boys and girls, grades 3-6, to instruct on good nutrition and physical activity habits through fun, team-based after-school activities. AFHK is the only non-profit organization specifically formed to address the problem of overweight, undernourished, and sedentary youth by focusing on changes in schools. This private-public partnership is comprised of 45 national organizations and government agencies; all supporting the efforts of 51 grassroots State Teams (includes the District of Columbia). To learn more, visit http://www.ActionForHealthyKids.org.

REMINDERS:

SPECIAL THANKS

We would like to extend a special thanks to all of the President's Challenge Advocates. Please visit the Advocates area on the http://www.presidentschallenge.org/ web site to see how companies, organizations and groups are making a difference with the President's Challenge.

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