Out of the Mouth of Babes

"The importantest thing I learned was to stay active and stuff," said Meagan Cancilla, 9, from Sansome School in Canada. "That's so I don't become lazy and sick." Like most 4th graders she spent her recess bouncing between a soccer game, tossing a Frisbee and playing tag. She said she's usually quite active, but realizes now she has to stay that way.

She's part of a study by Manitoba Institute of Child Health researcher Dr. Dean Kriellaars -- who is encouraging kids to racked up as many steps as they can in a 15-minute time span during morning recess. Most students clocked upwards of 2,000 steps. But that level of activity is an exception to the rule. In fact, most kids only take an average of 8,000 steps each day -- about 5,000 less than what doctors say keeps bones and muscles strong and reduces the risk of obesity.

According to Kriellaars, "We're looking at school as the battleground for fighting an inactivity epidemic."
Pedometers are one method that's working. He suggests providing more -- but not necessarily expensive -- equipment (like pedometers) and bringing back tag, which some schools have banned.

From the Farm to the School Lunchroom

The increased cost of fuel is affecting the costs of everything. Many school districts are having to cut items from the menu because they don't fit into the budget any longer!

One school district in Bainbridge, Washington is trying to pass a bill that allows the school districts to favor contracts from local farmers to get local foods on lunchrooms menus. Groups of parents hope the measure will rejuvenate interest in adding nutritious, naturally grown foods to the district’s menus.

Dr. Cowan, a physician and parent of students in the district said, "There is a growing body of science that shows that foods shed nutrients over long trips, while fossil fuels are burned shipping the foods from one state to another. Meanwhile, nutritionists are more and more abandoning vitamins pills and food pyramids in favor of fresh, lightly processed produce."

Meanwhile, Cowan said, local farms would benefit from new demand, which could in turn help preserve open space and aquifers. He hopes the district can take advantage of the new legislation, even if it only adds an incremental amount of fresh produce.

Overall I think its an innovative idea in trying to feed children nutritious options while boosting the local economy and agriculture all the while being environmentally friendly! To read more about their plan, click here.

What consists of an appropriate snack?

This article has been adapted from The Herald News
"Snack on this:Healthy alternatives for kids to munch on"
By Gina Lombardi

A very important distinction in food is between a treat and a snack...

Foods like cookies, ice cream, candy, and chips often come to mind when we think of snacks, however they are very clearly treats, because these types of foods are generally loaded with sugar and/or fat, contain lots of calories and very little nutrients.

Treats are foods to be eaten only once in a while — not every day!

Our eating habits begin to form when we are children and, for most of us, habits are very hard to break! As a parent you have the power to instill healthy eating habits in your children by offering them healthy foods every day and limiting high fat/high sugar foods to special occasions. Explain to your children that SNACKS will help their bodies to grow strong and healthy and that TREATS do not.

Peaceful Playgrounds, knows that a combination of both exercise AND NUTRITION is the way to a healthy happy mind and body.

Some SNACK ideas:

½ cup fresh or canned fruit (in natural juice, no sugar added)*
½ slice of reduced fat cheese
4-6 oz. yogurt
A handful of whole grain crackers
A handful of dry low-sugar cereal
A slice of whole grain bread or toast, ½ whole grain English muffin, or a whole grain waffle
A very small portion of leftovers from dinner the night before.
(Fruit should be cut into small pieces (grapes in quarter sections) for children under 3. Avoid giving hard, round, sticky or slippery foods to children under 3 as they pose a choking hazard.)
Age 3 and older:
½ cup baby carrots, sliced cucumbers, celery sticks, jicama and/or pepper slices with 1-2 tablespoons of yogurt, peanut butter, low fat dressing, or hummus for dipping
A handful of nuts
1 slice of whole grain bread or toast with peanut butter
2 cups of air-popped popcorn
¼ cup sunflower seeds
Try making a smoothie by blending yogurt, frozen fruit, low fat milk or 100 percent juice, a little honey and a pinch of cinnamon!

Spring into a Safe Playground

Winter was officially over and Spring is here so it's time to think about sending kids out to the playground. Here's some tips for making the playground safe.

1. After snow, rain or other elements the playground surfacing may be in need of refilling or loose fill ( wood chips, pea gravel, sand etc.) needs "fluffed up" (raked and groomed after a winter compacting). A 12" minimum an fill evenly throughout the play structure area.

2. Check the sandbox area for broken glass or sharp objects that may have ended up there over the winter.

3. Think about re-training your playground supervisors by providing a quick overview on playground rules and safety.

4. Have a short assembly and remind students of behavior expectations especially outdoor behavior that can lead to conflicts.

5. Replenish recess equipment carts. Throw away flat balls and order replacements.

Download our 10 Tips for a Peaceful Playground and spring into a safe playground season.

Nutrition training changes eating habits of preschoolers.

A University of Miami study designed to prevent childhood obesity in preschoolers is showing promising results. According to Dr. Sarah Messiah, “We wanted to keep normal weight children normal weight so it's really a prevention intervention."

Researchers developed the program to teach inner city kids about healthy foods and why they need to eat them. A new report shows it’s working. Kids in the program stopped eating chips almost entirely. Cookie consumption dropped by 50 percent and fresh fruit and vegetable consumption increased by 25 percent.

Dr. Natale a University of Miami researcher says, “They go home and ask parents to buy them more broccoli which we were told would never happen." Almost all of the kids stayed in the intervention group stayed at the same weight or lost a little bit.

Pediatrician Dr. Lee Sanders says, “We need effective community based programs to teach about good nutrition and we need to begin very early." She continued, "while some old habits die hard, this study indicates that it's never too early to start teaching about good nutrition."

Hip Hip Hooray for KaBOOM! Planning great playground for kids.

When you think of great companies doing great things for kids KaBOOM would certainly be near the top of the list. I first heard of KaBoom nearly 12 years ago at an international playground conference where Darell Hammond -Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of KaBoom was just getting started. Who knew his vision of creating a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America would develop into a Nationally recognized non-profit foundation that rallies communities to achieve better public policy, funding and public awareness for increased play opportunities nationwide.

Their website has many tools and resources that help with planning playgrounds including trainings, challenge grants, and publications for communities that wish to plan a new playspace on their own; and bring together children, business and community interests for a select number of community playspace builds each year. KaBoom is headquartered in Washington, D.C., KaBOOM! also has offices in Chicago, Atlanta and San Mateo.

Alternatives fundraisers to unhealthy food

Looking for alternative fundraisers to unhealthy food? Here are some ideas for fundraising not associated with food. Children in Balance created this list and they have designed and implemented in- and after-school curricula, planning guides, and toolkits to assist parents, teachers, pediatricians and community leaders in creating an environment that promotes healthy eating and active living. For more information e-mail childreninbalance@tufts.edu.http://www.constantcontact.com/login.jsp
Children in Balance is located at Tufts University Boston, MA

ALTERNATIVE IDEAS:
Book fairs
Walkathons
Races
Sporting events
Recycling
Flower sales
Magazine drives
Wrapping paper sales
Arts & crafts projects made by the students
Auctions
Car washes
Cookbook fundraisers
Coupon books
Jewelry
Healthy foods: fruit, bottled water, etc…
Raffles
Dinner event

Tap Project - Don't Drink Bottled Water

A single glass of water can make a difference for children around the world…A nationwide effort is launching during World Water Week called the Tap Project, a campaign that celebrates the clean and accessible tap water available as an every day privilege to millions, while helping UNICEF provide safe drinking water to children around the world.

read more | digg story

Not on the test

"NOT ON THE TEST" SATIRIZES CURRENT AMERICAN CURRICULUM TRENDS
Tom Chapin, a Grammy Award-winning musician perhaps best known for children's music, has released a new song titled "Not on the Test." The song satirizes the American education system's renewed focus on rote teaching, in which tests have become the sole reason to teach and learn. Music, art, drama and sports were what kept Chapin engaged in school. In addition, these subjects make the teacher's (and the student's) job easier and infinitely more rewarding. Unfortunately, they are also what have been cut from curriculums across the country as Chapin explains lightheartedly in song.

Kids Dig Healthy Eating

GO BRUINS!!!


School vegetable gardens were once common, but they gradually disappeared when the federal School Lunch Program came to be. Fresh foods that came from local farms and school gardens were gradually replaced by commodities made available through the USDA, which administers the National School Lunch Programs, founded in 1946.

The program provided food for many children, but as years passed, nutritionists noted that the offerings weren't necessarily that healthy.

"One improvement began about 10 years ago, I believe, when first lady Hilary Clinton noticed fresh fruits and vegetables being served at remote military bases and asked why schools couldn't get the same fresh produce," said Jean Saunders, Evanston resident and Director of School Wellness for the Healthy Schools Campaign headquartered in Chicago.

So the USDA and the Department of Defense entered into a combined purchasing program, enabling school districts to get the benefit of the huge purchasing power of the Defense Department. That freed up money for more nutritious fresh produce for school lunches.

"The secret weapon is the kids themselves," said Saunders. "If you make it relevant to the kids, get them engaged in cooking good food or growing food and eating it because it tastes good, they will want healthier food. You have to involve whole families, whole communities to get things to change."

Two north suburban schools, one in Grayslake and another in Evanston, are teaching students how to grow their own gardens. Not only are they learning more about how to eat healthy, but they are also learning about other cultures.

For more

Research on Recess

Rachel Sindelar wrote an article entitled, "Is recess necessary in the 21st Century?"

In her report she talks about the trend to eliminate recess and the debate over whether or not recess should remain a standard part of the elementary school daily schedule. The report also identifies the major issues surrounding this debate, summarizes some of the literature relating to the topic of recess, and guides the reader to additional resources on recess.

This report is a great overview of recess research. Recess Necessary Report.......

President Challenges Americans-Get Fit

Americans are invited to participate in the first-ever National President’s Challenge.

The six-week fitness program, which kicks off Thursday, the first day of spring, encourages everyone to be active at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. And just in case you need 8 weeks to complete the 6 weeks, no problem they've allow for 2 extra weeks to complete the 6. (Who could ask for more?)

In any case, the goal is to help everyone from children to senior citizens live healthier lives and get fit by finding activities they really enjoy, says Melissa Johnson, executive director of the council, an advisory committee to the president and the federal Department of Health and Human Services.

“This is really the first national President’s Challenge, where we’re encouraging all Americans to join us at the exact same time,” she says.

To complete the challenge, adults 18 and older need to be active 30 minutes a day, while youngsters 6-17 need to be active an hour a day. I knew there was a benefit to growing old.

Participants can track their activities, see their progress and challenge themselves via the interactive Web site, www. presidentschallenge. org, where you can register through April 3. (Click on the button next to the picture of fitness queen Denise Austin. )The challenge concludes May 15 in the midst of National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. Remember participants get eight weeks in which to complete the six-week program. Clearly an opportunity of a lifetime.

Can physical activity improve test taking performance?

There seems to be a buzz recently about physical activity and better "test taking" performance. One such example is an article in the Twin Cities Pioneer press which reported that: "Moving around improves kids' literacy scores."

The article about Farmington Middle School East, said staff members have implemented the "Literacy Education in the Active Domain" to help students who struggle with reading. The LEAD program models a district study last year that showed students' reading scores improved significantly after they completed physical activities.

"I think this is the new frontier for physical education and academics," said Jack Olwell, a North Trail Elementary PE teacher who conducted the study. "The two areas have not been connected like this before."

After testing in the fall to identify students reading below their grade level, Farmington East invited 40 sixth-graders to participate in the LEAD program, which incorporates about 20 minutes of physical activity with various lessons before a student's reading class.

Another test was given in January, and the average increase in reading scores for the 34 students who decided to take part was more than double the increase logged by their counterparts across the district.

Resources for Safe Routes to School

Creating safe routes for children to travel on to get to school is catching on as more school districts are realizing the benefits of an active commute. The Safe Routes to School program was created as a resource for schools and parents who want to consider activating a walking-to-school program. The Safe Routes to School website provides lots of information on the benefits of walking to and from school including information on Route planning and Interactive mapping.

Workers lose weight-Gain money

Virgin Healthmiles, part of British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Group empire, is trying to take wellness and weight loss to another level. Insurance company Humana is rolling out the high-tech Virgin Life Care system, which lets employees rack up points for exercise. They can redeem the points for gift cards from Target to Home Depot, Bass Pro Shops to Best Buy.

The program has been slow to take off, though.

"Companies are already spending so much money on health care, they really have to ask, 'What's the return on this investment?' " Pattie Dale Tye, president of Humana, Houston said.

The Virgin system includes pedometers which measure steps taken. Users can connect their pedometers at a kiosk using a USB cable and record their steps, with points awarded based on the total.

At the kiosk, workers also can weigh themselves and get points for losing pounds, if they are overweight, or for maintaining a healthy balance if they're not.

Workers can earn points for other physical activities such as bowling or dancing.

But installing and operating the kiosks costs several thousand dollars, and Virgin charges $6.95 a month per employee enrolled. Tye said some companies are picking up that entire tab. Others push $5 of the cost back to employees.

Running : Miracle-Gro for the Brain

On many elementary school campuses in San Diego, California children run for 15 or 20 minutes each morning to fight childhood obesity with before-school running clubs. An additional bonus that has received much attention in the last few months is the theory that running also boosts brain development.

The importance of physical activity was also documented by the California Department of Education study that showed a correlation between the number of state physical fitness standards children meet and how well they scored on reading and math tests.

Classroom teachers insist there is an instant payoff to a few laps. Children who get off to a running start take the momentum into their first class where they seemed to arrive without the usually wiggles that can interfere with learning.

John Ratey of Harvard Medical School and author of “Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain,” said exercise increases the production of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor that helps the brain do its job better.

“That is what I call Miracle-Gro for the brain,” Ratey said.

The protein encourages brain cells to sprout synapses, which contribute to learning.

Rene, a fifth-grade student in San Diego has already learned an important life lesson.
“I'm trying to live a better life by running,” Rene said. “The more you run, the healthier you can be.”

Pedometers are another way to motivate kids to run. The We Count Program includes step charts and stickers for getting kids moving.

Play is serious business

Stuart Brown created the National Institute for Play in 1996 after more than 20 years of psychiatric practice and research persuaded him of the dangerous long-term consequences of play deprivation.

According to Brown, "If you look at what produces learning and memory and well-being, play is as fundamental as any other aspect of life, including sleep and dreams.’’

Play (or lack of ) is the one thing that most educators, parents, and psychologists agree on. Educators fret that school officials are hacking away at recess to make room for an increasingly crammed curriculum. Psychologists complain that over scheduled kids have no time left for the real business of childhood: idle, creative, unstructured free play. Public health officials link insufficient playtime to a rise in childhood obesity. Parents bemoan the fact that kids don’t play the way they themselves did — or think they did. And everyone seems to worry that without the chance to play stickball or hopscotch out on the street, to play with dolls on the kitchen floor or climb trees in the woods, today’s children are missing out on something essential.

Play is serious business. Scientists who study play, in animals and humans alike, are developing a consensus view that play is something more than a way for restless kids to work off steam; more than a way for chubby kids to burn off calories; more than a frivolous luxury. Play, in their view, is a central part of neurological growth and development — one important way that children build complex, skilled, responsive, socially adept and cognitively flexible brains.

Play vs time. ROBIN MARANTZ HENIG in a recent article in NY Magazine describes the battle between time and play as, " There are only six hours in a school day, only another six or so till bedtime, and adults are forever trying to cram those hours with activities that are productive, educational and (almost as an afterthought) fun. Animal findings about how play influences brain growth suggest that playing, though it might look silly and purposeless, warrants a place in every child’s day. Not too overblown a place, not too sanctimonious a place, but a place that embraces all styles of play and that recognizes play as every bit as essential to healthful neurological development as test-taking drills, Spanish lessons or Suzuki violin."

More on Henig article called, "Taking Play Seriously."

PEP Grant technical assistance call transcripts Feb.22. 08

The first transcripts for the PEP Technical Assistance call on February 22, 2008 has been posted on the Carol White PEP Website.

For a brief overview of the program, Panel Chair - Debbie Kalnasy, opened saying the intent of the PEP program is to provide grants to local educational agencies and community-based organizations, to initiate, expand, or enhance physical education programs for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade and to help students meet their state standards for physical education.

Eligible applicants are local educational agencies, including charter schools that are considered LEAs under state law. And community-based organizations, also referred to as CBOs. (Which also include faith-based organizations).

If you are interested in applying for the invitational priority the following is a link to download the assessment for more information about the School Health Index, you can look at www.cdc.gov/healthyuse.

RAND STUDY FINDS SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS RESOURCE IN OBESITY BATTLE

A RAND Corporation study says school playgrounds can be important tools in the fight against childhood obesity. However, many are locked and inaccessible to children on weekends – especially in poor and minority neighborhoods.

The study called the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG) found that, on average, 66 percent of the schools were unlocked on weekends. But only 57 percent of schools were both unlocked and had accessible facilities for weekend physical activities such as playgrounds, athletic fields, basketball courts and paved playing surfaces.

“Girls who lived near locked schools tended to be heavier, and neighborhoods with locked schools were disproportionately poor and had larger minority populations,” said Molly M. Scott, lead author of the study and research analyst with RAND, a nonprofit research organization. “These neighborhoods, where risk of obesity is high and public parks and playgrounds are often lacking, could benefit from convenient and safe places for physical activity. And making schools accessible doesn't require construction. It's a policy change.”

More on Playground Accessibility study....

Morning Exercise in America

About 5 years ago I had the opportunity to visit numerous schools throughout different regions in China. An educational phenomena that has stuck with me and left a lasting impression was "morning exercise." In all schools in China, students arrive and then go outside to about 15 minutes of student lead exercises daily. Parks are filled with adults who go through a routine of morning and evening exercises as well.

I ran across the posting below of a "morning exercise" program that is conducted each morning here in America.

POSTING IN THE NATIONAL PHYSICAL EDUCATION TALK LIST SERVE: I teach in a K-4 building and we have a before school program that we call "The Early Morning Workout". This takes place from 7:45 until 8:00 every morning. It is for students who are parent drop-offs, who don't eat breakfast at school. Instead of sitting in the hall, squirming around, we have them come to gym where they can either walk on the white volleyball court line, or jog on the black basketball court line. We play music, and also interject dances such as The Cupid Shuffle, Cha-Cha Slide, Chicken Dance, etc., in the middle of the gym. My teaching
partner and I implemented the program two years ago and it has been
successful. We average from 75-100 students. The students may not sit
or stand around, they must keep moving. We don't mind this duty because
it's on our turf, and we make the rules. The program is orderly and
fun. By the way, we have certain sections of the gym where they put
their coats and back packs when they enter. We divide this by grade
level. We also have them line up, after the workout, and leave through
the door that leads to their classroom hall. Our classroom teachers
appreciate the program because the students come to their classroom
energized, yet calm, with brain cells ready to learn!
Nancy

Bringing peace to the playground

BY CHRIS WIEBE
The Leader- Burbank, CA
March 6, 2008

MAGNOLIA PARK DISTRICT — During a game of four-square at Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School Wednesday, second-graders Luis Reyes, 7, and Cassidy McNeill, 8, reached an impasse over a point.

“It was in,” Luis said.

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“It’s out!” Cassidy fired back.

But before the conflict escalated any further, the two broke out into a spontaneous game of rock-paper-scissors and Luis — losing his paper to Cassidy’s scissors on the first throw — skipped away without further debate to join the other students in line waiting to play.

The episode is an everyday occurrence at Roosevelt, where the school’s “Peaceful Playgrounds” program sets explicit rules and dispute resolution activities to help children get along during lunchtime and recess.

The program, which has operated informally for the past year, will receive a boost from the Burbank Kiwanis Friday, with the donation of $1,000 that enables Roosevelt to contract with the countrywide Peaceful Playground program. The national affiliation will put the school in a network of thousands of schools privy to updates on and ideas on how the program is run, Roosevelt Principal Betsy Quinn said.

“The purpose of it is to solve a conflict quickly and keep playing, maximizing the time that children have to play so they’re not fretting or arguing about it,” she said. “And quite frankly problems on the playground have gone down dramatically.”

To carry out the program, Roosevelt officials first marked the blacktop with game boundaries — for everything from traditional games like basketball and four-square to newer games like long ball and extreme dodge ball.

Then a 3-inch-by-5-inch rule booklet governing the games was distributed to students, parents and yard monitors, which also covers safe and proper use of slides, monkey bars, jump ropes and other playground equipment, Quinn said.

“It’s a matter of teaching children what the rules are for each of the games,” she said. “And they can’t make up games, and they can’t make up rules for games.”

Playground conflicts often germinate from more aggressive children taking advantage of the others, or changing the rules midstream to benefit themselves or their team, she said. But having a system of explicit rules in place puts everyone on common ground.

“With basketball, for example, no matter what grade, there are the same rules and one of the bottom-lying premises of the program is that everyone plays or no one plays,” she said. “So you can’t exclude people.”

And the idea is ingrained in the children, who eagerly recite the precepts of the program.

“You get to play more than you’re arguing,” Cassidy said.

Roosevelt parents report seeing tangible improvements in schools as a result of the program.

Burbank resident Jane LeGate-Clarke has noticed the impact of the program on her children, Carson Clarke, 7, a second-grader, and Cole Clarke, 11, who graduated from Roosevelt last year.

“I think it’s been fabulous because when my older son went through he had lots of issues with kids changing the rules when you get up to play a game and who was supposed to set the rules,” she said. “And it kind of got to be not fun for him. And I’ve noticed a huge difference with less complaining and, especially with my younger son, they even solve the problems on their own.”

And conflict resolution techniques have also spilled over into the home, where Carson and Cole sometimes decide things like who gets the bathroom first in the morning with a game of rock, paper, scissors, she said.

“I just have definitely seen a huge difference and I feel better,” LeGate-Clark said. “I feel more rested and at ease about knowing that there’s not going to be something bad happening [at school].”

Studies show that children who consistently have negative experiences on the playground tend to be withdrawn and uncommunicative in the classroom, said Roosevelt parent Laura Anderson, who has helped organize the Peaceful Playgrounds program.

“I feel like it’s a great, positive tool to empower kids,” she said.

National School Breakfast Week

Secretary of Agriculture Charles M. Kuperus and U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Regional Administrator Patricia Dombroski in celebration of a National School Breakfast Week shared a breakfast of cereal, low fat milk, juice and yogurt Monday morning with fourth graders from Anthony V. Ceres Elementary School.

Dombroski, who ate bananas and yogurt with the children, said research shows eating breakfast helps children to be ready to learn.

"Breakfast can be the single most important meal of the day for children, helping them to perform better at school," Kuperus said. "Our Department of Agriculture nutrition programs can lay the groundwork for these students to live healthier lives as adults."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture administers the School Breakfast Program at the federal level, providing cash subsidies and donated commodities for each meal served. The New Jersey Department of Agriculture operates the program in the state. The program, established in 1966, provides nutritionally balanced breakfasts in public and nonprofit private school and residential child-care institutions. Those breakfast are required to provide one-third of the recommended dietary allowances for protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium and calories.

For More

Moving is a learning experience

Each year the District and Public Relations Committee of the National Association for Sport Physical Education (NASPE) develops special integrated activities for teachers and their students to do during National Physical Education and Sport Week, May 1-7. NASPE leaders and staff encourage all K-12 physical education teachers to take advantage of these wonderful resources to showcase your quality sport and physical education programs in your school and community.

The theme, “Moving is a Learning Experience,” was chosen because of the increasing interest in the link between physical activity and academic achievement. The daily activities have been designed to integrate physical activity and various academic content areas. All activities were developed to meet national and state standards for physical education.

Click link for activities to celebrate the 25th Anniversity of National Physical Education and Sport Week.

PEP GRANT INFO: Physical Education State Standards

If you are applying for a 2008 PEP Grant make sure that you refer to your state Standards for Physical Education. An index listing the State PE Standards is on the PE4U website.


Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The Carol M. White Physical Education Program
(PEP) provides grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) and
community-based organizations (CBOs) to initiate, expand, or enhance
physical education programs, including after-school programs, for
students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Grant recipients must
implement programs that help students make progress toward meeting
State standards.

Absolute Priority
The initiation, expansion, and improvement of physical education
programs (which may include after-school programs) in order to make
progress toward meeting State standards for physical education for
kindergarten through 12th grade students by (1) providing equipment and
support to enable students to participate actively in physical
education activities; and (2) providing funds for staff and teacher
training and education.

Forget Terrorism. It's Obesity That's Killing Us.

At the Oxford Health Alliance Conference experts suggested that world governments should pay more attention to overcoming deadly factors such as poor diet, smoking and a lack of exercise and less time and money on terrorism.

Global terrorism was a real threat but posed far less risk than obesity, diabetes and smoking-related illnesses, prominent US professor of health law Lawrence Gostin said at the Oxford Health Alliance Summit here.

While we've been focusing so much attention on terrorism we've had this silent epidemic of obesity that's killing millions of people around the world, and we're devoting very little attention to it and a negligible amount of money."

The fifth annual conference of the Oxford Health Alliance -- co-founded by Oxford University -- has brought together world experts from academia, government, business, law, economics and urban planning to promote change.

An estimated 388 million people will die from chronic disease worldwide over the next 10 years, according to World Health Organisation figures quoted by the alliance.

Put simply, we need to build physical activity back into our lives....

PE Boost Results in Higher Academic Gains for Girls

Making time for physical education doesn't hurt grades, and may help boost girls' test scores, according to a new study written by the CDC.

The report, written by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scientists, addresses concerns of school administrators who fear that increasing P.E. time will interfere with pressure to raise standardized test scores. The study was released Thursday in the online version of the Journal of American Public Health.

The scientists, who specialize in obesity and school policies, examined standardized math and reading test scores from 5,000 students across the nation as they moved from kindergarten through fifth grade.

Girls who spent the most time in P.E. classes, from 70 to 300 minutes a week, had slightly higher test scores than girls who spent less than 35 minutes a week in the classes. There was no significant difference in academic achievement for boys.

The group is hoping that the study will convince educators trying to raise test scores that cutting P.E. isn't the answer, said Susan Carlson, the study's lead author and a CDC epidemiologist.

PEP Grant Blog Moved

Beginning Monday, March 3 the PEP GRANT BLOG will be moved to the Peaceful Playgrounds Blogsite.

We will blog M-F on topics of interest for people writing PEP GRANTS until the application due date of March 24, 2008.