ChildObesity180 Active Schools Acceleration Project Competition Announces its Winners
Last Wednesday in Washington, winners of the national ChildObesity180 Active Schools Acceleration Project competition were announced.
The ChildObesity180 competition was created by 19 people with careers in government, academia, public health advocacy, community organizations, the food industry and the media, to find new ways in which schools can encourage students to keep active throughout the day. The winning schools’ program had to be able to be replicated in other schools and available for all fitness levels.
The Corona-Norco Unified School District’s Mile Club in Norco, California, and Red Hawk Elementary’s Red Hawk Movement in Erie, Colorado, were declared the competition winners. Each will receive a $100,000 prize.
Karen Lubin, a special education teacher, founded the 100 Mile Club in 1993.
In a ChildObesity180 press release, it was noted that the students were asked to run 100 miles in one school year. Students kept a journal of their miles and were given a reward if they fulfilled their goals. The 100 Mile Club is now being practiced in 115 schools across the country.
The Red Hawk Movement involves physical activities led by students or faculty members and is incorporated into the students schedules through a rotating calendar. Activities are held in the morning and before tough subjects, such as science and math.
Like both the Mile Club and Red Hawk movement, our award winning GoGirlGo! program works to improve the health of sedentary girls and keeps girls involved in physical activity by supporting programs and organizations that work with girls. We are so thrilled that the ChildObesity180 Active Schools Acceleration Program competition is also working to get young kids active because research has shown that physical activity at a young age, ultimately leads to long-term success.