Activity For Healthy Kids: Challenges & Opportunities Growing Healthy Kids in Kentucky Workshop September 25 & October 22, 2002 Jim Tackett

“A healthy school is one that integrates community, family, and schools to provide for students a positive continuum of intellectual, physical, social and emotional development on which to base lifelong decisions.” NASBE Healthy Schools Network

Setting the Scene in the U.S. The percentage of overweight U.S. children has nearly doubled in the past 20 years. 69% of young adolescents reported regular participation in vigorous physical activity while only 38% of youth ages engaged in like behavior. Daily enrollment in physical education classes dropped from 42% to 29% from 1991 to Centers for Disease Control, 2002

Setting the Scene in Kentucky In the past week, 59% of high school students participated in vigorous physical activity for at least 20 minutes on at least three day of the past week. Nearly 25% of high school students participated in a physical education at least once per week. Approximately 30% of students spent 20 minutes or longer actually exercising in high school physical education class. On an average day, nearly 19% of high school students watched four or more hours of television KY YRBS

“Exercise and recreation are as necessary as reading.” Thomas Jefferson

Current Challenges to Physical Activity Shrinking budgets Time constraints Accountability importance Equipment and facility demands Teacher comfort “Active” role models “Old” stereotypes vs. “New” research Personnel limitations

Every study shows that children are more attentive after recess – as the kids would say, “Well, duh!” Tony Pellegrini

Current Opportunities in Physical Activity Available funding Current research Curriculum standards State support Collaboration Resources

Kentucky Dept. of EducationProgram of Studies, Core Content for Assessment, Academic Expectations Centers for Disease ControlSchool Health Index, Physical Activity Guidelines National Association of State Boards of Education Fit, Healthy & Ready to Learn National School Board Association School Health Resource Database National Association for Sports and Physical Education National Physical Education Standards

Web Resources Kentucky Department of Education Centers for Disease Control & Prevention American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance American School Health Association National School Boards Association National Association of State Boards of Education

Resources KDE Health & Physical Education consultant Connie Regional Cardiovascular Health Coordinators Renee White Jennifer Joyce Jim

“After all of the arguments have been made for one side or the other, it gets down to one thing: movement is about living and living is about learning.” Eric Jensen