FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Information:
Melissa Hanson, Säjai™ Foundation: (763) 257-2022
Jen Hoyer, National Recreation and Park Association: (703) 858-2160
After-School Program Inspires Kids to Make Healthy Eating And Activity Choices
Minneapolis, Minn. – October 23, 2007 – The Säjai® Foundation and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) announced today that they are launching the Wise Kids® program to park and recreation agencies throughout the United States. Wise Kids is an innovative health and wellness initiative designed by dietitians, exercise physiologists and Foundation staff specifically for after-school or out-of-school programming. The Säjai (pronounced “saw-jay”) Foundation is a nonprofit foundation founded by Barb King, the president of Landscape Structures Inc. In 2007 the Säjai Foundation signed an exclusive partnership agreement with NRPA that will mobilize local park and recreation agencies across the nation and other youth serving organizations in addressing the problem of child obesity.
The engaging nine-week Wise Kids program was designed to give children the knowledge they need to make wise decisions about nutrition and exercise. It does not focus on dieting or weight loss, but simply on making choices that will get kids healthy and keep them healthy for a lifetime. The Wise Kids program is sold as a turnkey kit consisting of workbooks, games and activities that are used to teach children about the Energy Balance Equation: Calories In = Calories Out. It includes training manuals and a training CD designed to teach program leaders the basics of the energy balance curriculum as well as providing tips on how to successfully implement the program.
A web-based program evaluation tool is also supplied to participating organizations to measure impact moving forward.
Each one-hour segment of the program follows a Learn-Do-Play format that both educates kids and gets them moving. Illustrated workbooks are provided to each child to guide self-directed activity and increase understanding, and program leaders are supplied with all the materials they need to make it an engaging learning experience. The curriculum was designed for children ages 6 to 11 who attend after-school or summertime programs.
According to Barb King, the Säjai Foundation is partnering with NRPA because it reaches those who are in a unique position to influence the attitudes and behaviors of our nation’s children. “Each day millions of children attend after-school and out-of-school recreation programs at our nation’s city and county facilities and parks,” says King. “These programs bridge the gap between school and home, and provide safe and exciting outlets for year-round recreation. Our goal is to reach kids in these environments and give them the knowledge and insight they need to make good choices about what they eat and how they stay physically active. With the help of NRPA, we hope to make big strides in teaching children how to lead healthier lives and begin to reverse the overweight youth crisis facing our nation.”
“By partnering with the Säjai Foundation, NRPA is working to advance the role of park and recreation agencies in the childhood obesity epidemic,” stated John Thorner, NRPA Executive Director. “We’re very excited to now have an evaluated curriculum that park and recreation departments can utilize to promote healthy lifestyles within their communities.”
In 2007, nearly 500 children participated as Wise Kids beta sites at park and recreation departments in Tampa, Fla., Joliet, Ill., East Hartford, Conn., Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minn. According to Kathy Korum, Recreation Services Manager for the City of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation, Wise Kids was particularly appealing because her organization is trying to bring wellness education into their recreation programming. “Like a lot of other agencies, we are recognizing the problems associated with obesity and inactivity and we’re trying to be much more deliberate about including physical activity in every program that we offer,” says Korum. “The Wise Kids program gave us a really neat way to bring together nutrition and physical activity, and ultimately allowed us to measure how much the children absorbed.”
To assess the effects of the program, the Säjai Foundation entered into a partnership with the Recreation, Parks and Leisure Studies faculty in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota. University faculty designed and implemented a research study consisting of pre-, post – and follow-up assessments to measure the implementation and impact of the Wise Kids program at the St. Paul beta sites. According to Keith Russell, Ph.D., associate professor in Recreation and Sports Studies at the University of Minnesota, the program improved both attitudes and behaviors. “Results of the design, implementation and evaluation of the Wise Kids program suggest that the program has positive and significant impacts in areas that will lead youth to have better attitudes toward eating more healthy foods and engaging in physical activity,” says Russell. “Ultimately, this will result in their being less at-risk of gaining weight and having associated health problems associated with weight gain.”
The results also show that the program positively impacted the children’s Body Mass Index (BMI) trends and has the potential to stem continued BMI increases in participating youth. Moreover, the researchers found through focus groups and systematic observation that Wise Kids was well received by the children, parents and park and recreation staff.
Beginning October 15, 2007, the Wise Kids program will be available to park and recreation agencies at two different levels:
• Wise Kids Kit for Small Sites – Includes training guides, workbooks and all materials for up to 30 children. $750
• Wise Kids Kit for Large Sites – Includes training guides, workbooks and all materials for up to 100 children. $1,650
To order the Wise Kids program for your agency or organization, click here.
About the Säjai Foundation
The Säjai Foundation is a nonprofit organization working to combat childhood obesity by developing preventative, healthy lifestyle programs for children ages 6 to 11. It was founded in 2006 by Barb King, co-founder and president of Landscape Structures Inc., Delano, MN. Landscape Structures is the leading manufacturer of premier playground equipment for elementary schools and municipal parks.
About NRPA
The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing park, recreation and conservation efforts that enhance quality of life for all people. Through its network of more than 20,000 recreation and park professionals and citizens, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy lifestyles, recreation initiatives, and conservation of natural and cultural resources.
Headquartered in Ashburn, Va., NRPA works closely with local, state and national recreation and park agencies, citizen groups and corporations to carry out its objectives. Priorities include advocating favorable legislation and public policy; continuing education for park and recreation professionals and citizens; providing professional certification, university accreditation, research and technical assistance; and increasing public awareness of the importance of parks and recreation. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org.
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