Fitness is Fun!
May 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

Steps Across America
In an effort to promote physical activity, 12 Americans have taken on the daunting task of walking from New York City to Los Angeles. Each member of the Steps Across America Walking Team was specially selected, and each is equipped with a pedometer to keep track of the number of steps taken. After walking for almost 30 days, the team is currently in the Midwest and has logged more than 1.6 million steps! The President’s Challenge encourages you to walk too, even if it’s not across the country. Take part in our Presidential Active Lifestyle Award program by keeping track of your daily activity with a pedometer. Adults need to walk 8,500 steps per day (about 30 minutes of activity) 5 days a week for 6 weeks to earn the Active Lifestyle Award. To keep track of the walkers and to register yourself for the Steps Across America President’s Challenge, visit http://www.stepsacross.com/.

Take the Get out and Doo President's Challenge!
As a PCPFS 50th Anniversary Partner to Get America Moving, Scooby Snacks dog treats have teamed up with the President’s Challenge to offer a new way to motivate kids to be active! Visit http://www.rogsruvem.com/. and check out the list of activities that kids can do with their dogs, including hide and seek and Frisbee throwing. Also on the site is a special log that kids can print out and use to keep track of activities. Children are required to be active for 60 minutes per day, 5 days a week for 6 weeks. After completion, kids can send in their log to receive a Scooby Snacks Frisbee®, plus dogs can earn Scooby Snacks to Go! Biscuits. For more information on Scooby Snacks' involvement as a 50th Anniversary Partner, visit http://www.fitness.gov/50thanniversary/50th_partners_pages/50th_anniv_partner_pennsylvania.htm.

Older American's Month. May 2006
The Administration on Aging sponsors this annual celebration. See the AoA Web site for updates at http://www.aoa.gov/..

National Bike Month. May 2006
The League of American Bicyclists is promoting Bike-to-Work Week from May 15-19 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 19. For more information see http://www.bikemonth.com.

ACSM's 53rd Annual Meeting. May 31 - June 3, 2006
Learn from distinguished experts during this conference in Denver, Colorado. Visit http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Annual_Meeting2 for more information.

National Coaching Educators' Conference. June 15-17, 2006
Join coaching educators from across the country to discuss current issues, trends, and innovative techniques for training sport coaches. For more information visit http://www.ncaceinfo.org/.

Innovative Physical Education: Teaching Tips from the 2006 NASPE Teachers of the Year. June 24, 2006
The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and SPORTIME will bring together physical education teachers of the year to present a full day of workshops targeted to K-12 physical educators. For more information visit http://www.aahperd.org/NASPE/template.cfm?template=toy_workshop.html.

National Physical Education Teacher Education Conference. October 12-14, 2006.
NASPE will bring together physical education teacher educators from across the country to showcase exemplary practices in PETE and discuss current issues and initiatives that impact PETE. For more information visit http://www.naspeinfo.org/pete.

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.

We would like to hear from you. If you have any topics that you would like to see addressed in Fitness is Fun or any comments regarding this list, please let us know. You can provide them by emailing us at preschal@indiana.edu.

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