Action for Healthy Kids® (AFHK) has announced the 292 recipients of School Grants for Healthy Kids for the 2015-2016 school year, provided through funding by CSX Corporation. Awarded in 13 states, the grants aim to improve student knowledge, attitudes and behaviors around physical activity, while also engaging parents to support physical activity at home. Grants may also include a healthy eating component.
The grants, which range from $500 to $2,500, can be used to provide in-school assistance, funding for physical education and active recess, refurbishing of play spaces, classroom energizers and brain breaks, support for walking and running clubs, and before- and after-school programs that introduce students to the value of an active lifestyle.
“We are inspired by the accomplishments that schools have made as a result of the ongoing partnership between CSX and AFHK,” said Tori Kaplan, Assistant Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility, CSX. “CSX works to give back in the community ‘Beyond Our Rails,’ and one of our focus areas is supporting the health and wellness of our communities and employees. We are thrilled to join AFHK in helping ensure more students get access to physical activity programs during the 2015-2016 school year as a result of these grants.”
Schools funded this year will be among the first to utilize AFHK’s new online School Portal featuring the 2014 School Health Index (SHI), an online assessment tool developed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to guide school-based obesity prevention and health promotion efforts. AFHK has worked closely with the CDC to offer an abbreviated online version of the SHI that addresses two health topics: nutrition and physical activity. It also includes resources, reporting options, an online action plan, and a USDA Healthier US School Challenge readiness estimate.
As outlined in a School Impact Report on physical activity recently released by AFHK, research shows that students who are physically active perform better on tests and have improved ability to organize thoughts and make decisions. However, a 2014 U.S. report card on physical activity for children and youth, released by the National Physical Activity Plan Alliance and the American College of Sports Medicine, found that only 25% of children ages six to 15 meet the national recommendation of 60 minutes of physical activity per day.
“Schools receiving grants are getting a leg up on creating healthier school environments where kids get to be physically active every day without compromising, and in fact enhancing, educational instruction,” said Rob Bisceglie, CEO, AFHK. “The funding from CSX connects schools with much-needed resources for their wellness initiatives and acknowledges the impact of physical activity and good nutrition on children’s health and learning.”
The School Grants for Healthy Kids are part of more than $1.4 million in school breakfast and physical activity grants awarded by AFHK in the 2015-2016 school year. For a complete list of schools funded by CSX, visit www.actionforhealthykids.org/CSX.