Fitness is Fun!
November 2006

Greetings from the office of the President's Challenge Physical Activity and Fitness Awards Program! You have received the November 2006 issue of Fitness is Fun, the official e-mail distribution of the President's Challenge. These monthly e-mails will keep you updated on our programs, activities of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) and other current information pertaining to health and fitness.

PCPFS NEWS:

Physical Activity Guidelines Ready in 2008
The Bush administration announced they will be developing guidelines for physical activity. When the guidelines are ready in late 2008, federal health officials hope they will help people live healthier lifestyles, which in turn, could slow soaring health care costs. The government already makes recommendations about exercise. The new Mypyramid, for example, recommends 30 minutes of daily physical activity, 60 minutes to prevent weight gain and 90 minutes to sustain weight loss. The surgeon general issued a report in the mid 1990s that contained recommendations on exercise. Officials said the new guidelines, however, would establish a process where the best science on physical activity would be routinely evaluated. Dr. Douglas Kamerow, a member of the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Childhood Obesity, said his panel recommended the physical activity guidelines. While most obese people know they should eat less and move more, scientific guidelines could be helpful.

For more information, please visit this link http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2006pres/20061026.html.

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.

Grants Available to Promote Healthy School Communities ASCD Announces Application for Grant Award Program
The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) will award 10 grants of $10,000 each to help schools and communities work together to create a healthy school environment. The selected schools will demonstrate the capacity for best practice in leadership and instruction, support comprehensive health programs, and create strong collaborations with other community institutions.

The grant program is part of ASCD's worldwide effort to promote the integration of health and learning and the benefits of school-community partnerships. Grantees will assess the health-related aspects of the learning environment and use the results for school improvement and community engagement. They will participate in a study to identify the key indicators of success. School communities will receive technical assistance and become part of a Healthy School Communities network.

Healthy School Communities sites will be selected in November 2006. The pilot grant is open to K-12 public and independent school communities in the United States and its territories, including Department of Defense Schools; Canada; the Caribbean; and the Asia Pacific region.

Grant applications are available online at www.ascd.org/healthyschoolcommunities and are due November 15, 2006. For more information about the application process, contact Theresa Lewallen, director, at 1-703-575-5622 or healthyschoolcommunities@ascd.org.

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.

The PCPFS Honor Award Nominations
The PCPFS Honor Award is given annually to an academic or research professional who has made a major contribution to the advancement and promotion of the science of physical activity, in addition to being an advocate of the PCPFS� mission.

A call for nominations and submission information will be posted on the PCPFS and President�s Challenge (PC) websites and publicized in the PCPFS and PC e-newsletters.

Nominations must be submitted electronically by November 15 to the PCPFS office. Nominations will then be forwarded to the Science Board members. The Science Board will recommend an award winner to the PCPFS Executive Director at the annual December Science Board meeting. The PCPFS Executive Director will make the final decision and notify the award winner.

The award winner may not be a current member of the PCPFS Council and/or Science Board. Arrangements will be made by the PCPFS staff to present the award at a professional meeting, as appropriate.

Nominees not receiving the award will routinely have their credentials considered for a second year (i.e., once nominated, an individual is considered for two years)

For the Honor Award Nomination Form, Click Here!

PCPFS and ACSM partner for Challenge State Coordinators
The PCPFS and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) have partnered to identify state coordinators for the Demonstration Centers of the President�s Challenge Program. ACSM members were asked to participate as State Coordinators. ACSM and its members work in clinical settings, research laboratories, classrooms and fitness facilities to advance health through science, education and medicine. To read more about the Demonstration Centers or to see a list of the State Coordinators please visit: http://presidentschallenge.org/educators/school_recognition.aspx.

If you know of a school that deserves recognition as a PCPFS Demonstration Center please complete the form at: http://presidentschallenge.org/educators/school_recognition/demo_center_apply.aspx
and send it to your state coordinator or to the President�s Challenge Office.

UPCOMING EVENTS

December 7-8, 2006: PCPFS Science Board meeting.
Here is our link for the Science Board info: http://presidentschallenge.org/advocates/science_board.aspx.

President�s Challenge is Exhibiting at the following Conferences:

~Texas Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance
November 28- December 1
Ft. Worth, TX

NEWS AND RESEARCH

NFL and AHA Join Forces to Help Increase Physical Activity in Kids
New York Giants Quarterback and President�s Council member, Eli Manning visited a Manhattan public school to show eighth-graders how to add exercise to their math class. Manning had them perform squats and taught the students how to find their target heart rate. This was part of The National Football League and American Heart Association�s What Moves U program. This awareness program is designed to incorporate physical activity in classroom lessons to encourage physical activity to increasingly inactive generations of children. What Moves U includes a 25-lesson in-school activity kit created for teachers, by teachers, which includes curriculum-based activity sheets, program-specific learning materials and in school promotional materials; and an interactive fitness website for children. The program encourages teachers to begin their students� days with morning stretches, incorporate two minutes of activity for every 20 minutes of desk time, and assign homework that includes physical activity. More than 25,000 middle schools nationwide will receive the activity kit, and teachers, parents and kids will have the opportunity to download it and participate in the program at http://www.whatmovesu.com/.

10 Tips To Keep Your Family Active
1. Schedule a regular time throughout the week for physical activity.
2. Take turns selecting an activity for the family to do as a group each week.
3. Start a log of daily fitness activities for each family member.
4. Help everyone to find something active that makes them feel successful.
5. Adapt activities to suit those with special needs and preferences.
6. Designate indoor and outdoor play areas where rolling, climbing, jumping and tumbling are allowed.
7. Buy toys or equipment that promote physical activity.
8. Select fitness- oriented gifts with the recipient�s skills and interests in mind.
9. Limit time spent watching TV programs, DVDs and videotapes. Also, limit time spent playing computer games.
10. Use physical activity rather than food as a reward (e.g., family goes ice-skating) Michele Batz is a physical education teacher and has enjoyed a 25 year career in sports education. She�s the author of �What is Holding You Back? A Woman�s Guide to Beginning Fitness.�

For more ideas to keep your family active visit, http://www.nbc5.com/mylife/9649301/detail.html.

PACES Encourages Families to Exercise Together
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Project ACES (May 2008), the creator of Project ACES now introduces PACES. PACES is an acronym for 'Parents And Children Exercise Simultaneously.' The program not only a great way for the family to stay fit, but is also an excellent way for families to spend time with each other. Physical Education teachers might find the program a great way to motivate students to exercise at home. PACES Day takes place every weekend throughout the year, highlighted on the first Saturday in May. Families can download PACES day materials that provide suggestions for family exercise and an activity chart to record the activities completed. To get children more involved in PACES families can also download a Word Search and Word Puzzle. Families can sign up now at http://www.lensaunders.com/paces/.

Abilities Unlimited
Abilities Unlimited is a program designed specially for students and adults with special needs. The program was started in 1998 by Rhonda Langford and Team Savannah, Inc, a weight lifting club in Chatham County, Georgia. The program began with only two students and now has approximately 100 students. The program has produced a Special Olympic Powerlifting team made up of 30 competitors. They have participated in weight lifting competitions in Georgia and South Carolina. The director of the program, Rhonda Langford said, �Students and adults have enjoyed success and developed self-confidence through exercise, weight training and competition.� The group is currently participating in the President�s Challenge Active Lifestyle program.

Fitness Question of the Month for October

What information would be helpful in future Fitness is Fun newsletter?

I have set up a group for my judo students and use the President's Challenge awards as a way to motivate them to attend class regularly. How can I better use the tools to motivate my kids? What's out there for small, non-school groups? How do I continue to motivate my kids who attain their gold medal? How are other people using the awards in non-traditional ways? Are there others who would like to share ideas, track one group against another, or do something cooperative?

~Robin

I think some articles on how families with teens, older teens and even young adults in the household can have fun exercising together. We can't spend money on things like bikes for everyone, so we end up just going hiking together. Our boys have climbing equipment and like to rock climb, but we parents just watch. We would go to a gym together, but don't have the money for that either, so other than hiking it would be good to have some more ideas.

~Jan

Fitness Question of the Month for November:

Does your workplace have an exercise program? If so, what kind of things do you and your co-workers do to keep healthy?
Please respond via E-mail to The President's Challenge at preschal@indiana.edu We'll include the most insightful responses in the November issue of Fitness is Fun.

REMINDERS:

Remember to fill out State Champion, Model School, and Demonstration Center applications to ensure that your students are rewarded for their hard work! For more information, including application deadlines and guidelines, please visit http://www.presidentschallenge.org/educators/school_recognition.aspx.

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.

FEEDBACK

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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Fitness is Fun! November 2006

Fitness is Fun!
November 2006