The P.E. programs in America’s elementary schools are hungry for support, apparently keen to the idea of getting and keeping kids active. And, the proof is in the large number of elementary schools which have applied for PHIT America GO! Grants.
Last year, 356 applications from elementary schools were submitted. This year, 563 applications have been submitted from elementary schools in 45 states that want to expand their P.E. programs with PHIT America GO! Grants — a 58% increase from last year.
Last year, PHIT America and its partner KIDS in the GAME distributed GO! Grants to physical education programs in 156 elementary schools in 22 states. The goal is to award at least as many GO! Grants for the 2016-17 school year as were given out last year. The GO! Grants range in size from $1,000 to $5,000 per school.
“The desire – and the willingness – of school communities to get their students physically moving during the school day is clear,” says PHIT America Founder Jim Baugh. “Elementary schools are responding to the effective low-cost program options now available through GO! Grants and to our intention to help catalyze more minutes of physical activity during the school day. It is also nice to know that expanding the number of GO! Grants is a central part of the SFIA Increase Participation Plan. Many of the SFIA’s members are responding.”
“We are excited to be a part of the ‘Movement’ to reverse the ‘Inactivity Pandemic’ here in the U.S.,” says John Ballantine, President, KIDS in the GAME. “Here at KIDS in the GAME, we are so grateful for all the existing PHIT America sponsors — those that are returning and for the new sponsors that are joining the effort to reverse the ‘Inactivity Pandemic,’ which is now affecting 81.7 million Americans.”
Beginning today, KIDS in the GAME will start reviewing applications with the goal of making award decisions on GO! Grants by the end of July.
At the 4th annual SFIA Industry Leaders Summit in Denver in September, PHIT America and KIDS in the GAME will share evaluation data from the first year of GO! Grants (2015-16 school year) and the list of new GO! Grant recipient schools for the 2016-17 school year.
“We will also have more measure of success. We know we are jump-starting more movement in thousands of young school-age children throughout the USA,” adds Baugh.
The list of Gold Sponsors who supported the in 2015-16 GO! Grants and other PHIT America initiatives include adidas, Brooks, Life Fitness, Les Mills, Mizuno, Nike, and the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. The Silver Sponsors are Augusta Sportswear, ETS, Everlast, Franklin, Head, Johnson Fitness, New Balance, Rawlings, Reebok, Riddell, SKLZ, Speedo, Sports Ngin, Talk Enterprises, The Sports Authority, Under Armour, United States Tennis Association, and Wilson Sporting Goods.
Founded in January 2013, PHIT America (www.phitamerica.org) is a non-profit campaign focused on overcoming the severe ramifications of the ‘Inactivity Pandemic’ through three strategic approaches – education, supporting school-based activity programs, and advocating – which will get Americans, especially our youth, more active, fit and healthy. For more information about PHIT America, visit www.PHITAmerica.org.
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