Sixth annual “Health Kids Grants” Cycle supports 17 schools in Northern Virginia
The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia awarded $30,300 in Healthy Kids Grants to address the main causes of childhood obesity by supporting programs that increase physical activity and/or improve nutrition in Northern Virginia public schools. The 2016-2017 school year is the sixth annual cycle, with a total of $100,300 awarded to date. Healthy Kids Grants are made possible by grants from the Chin Family Charitable Fund and the J.O.Y. Charitable Fund, donor advised funds with the Community Foundation.“Childhood obesity is a critical issue facing children and families throughout our region,” said Eileen Ellsworth, President of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. “We are delighted to partner with the Chin Family Charitable Fund and J.O.Y. Charitable Fund helping our local schools address this issue, and are pleased to see so many worthy programs blossom once provided with needed financial support,” she added.
The 2016-2017 Healthy Kids Grants were awarded to the following programs:
Alexandria City Public Schools – Capoeira-A Cultural Exchange, $2,000
Alexandria
CAPOEIRA is an Afro-Brazilian art form that brings together martial arts, acrobatics, dance, percussion, and songs. This project will increase physical activity among 25 9th-12th graders and provide an educational, cultural, and historical platform for all students.
Belmont Station Elementary School – Eat Right, Move and Recite, $1,500
Loudoun County
This project will get fourth and fifth graders to collaborate and create content-rich fitness and nutrition music/dance videos. Technology will be used to make videos available to all students on the Loudoun Creates channel and can be used as brain breaks for all classroom teachers in LCPS.
Bonnie Brae Elementary School – Promoting Healthy Eating through Gardening, $1,200
Fairfax County
This project will increase healthy eating among 135 Head Start and kindergarten students, many of whom are from at-risk families, by growing vegetables and herbs for their own consumption. Possible vegetables include a variety of peas and beans, spinach, lettuce, kale, and radishes.
Carlin Springs Elementary School – Carlin Spring Bikes!, $2,000
Arlington
This project will allow school staff to teach bicycling skills to all students, thus encouraging exercise through biking and promoting cycling as a life-long fitness activity which can be done outside of school as a fun, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly mode of transportation.
Coles Elementary School – Fit Packs, $1,000
Prince William County
Fit Packs will allow every student in grades kindergarten through fifth to share fitness with their family over the weekend as well as practice academic skills.
Drew Model School – Healthy Habits for our Drew Dragons, $2,000
Arlington
This project will increase physical activity for girls and boys in grades 3-5 by offering a girls' running team and a boys' running team in the upcoming school year. The sessions will be held in the morning before the school day begins, ensuring the students start the day with physical activity.
Francis C. Hammond Middle School – Teen Cuisine, $2,000
Alexandria
Up to 45 middle school students will participate in the after-school Teen Cuisine program, which aims to increase consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy, while teaching cooking, nutrition and food safety.
Langston Hughes Middle School-Hughes MS Hip Hop Dance Program, $2,000
Fairfax County
This project will increase physical activity among 150 7th and 8th graders by encouraging students to dance for an hour or two after school each week. The program aims to increase physical activity through Hip Hop dance for students that might not participate in other physical activities such as a sport.
Legacy Elementary School – Healthy Kids Give Back, $1,800
Loudoun County
Kindergarten students will learn what it means to be healthy and active through a variety of lessons exploring healthy food choices and fun physical activities. They will create "I'm a healthy kid" posters and choose healthy tools to pack backpacks to give to a local low-income kindergarten class.
Parkside Middle School – Functional Fitness, $2,000
Prince William County
This project will create a more functional fitness room and tools to assess and motivate 1250 6-8th graders during Physical Education (P.E.). The goal is to increase activity with easy to use tools and pedometers that students may not have access to at home.
Pine Brook Elementary – Step Up, $1,900
Loudoun County
This project will help increase moderate to vigorous activity time for 450 students as they will wear pedometers during Physical Education (P.E.) class and analyze data collected.
Potomac Falls High School – Mindfulness and Movement in the Schools, $2,000
Loudoun County
This grant will fund an 8-week pilot study to assess the effectiveness of stress reduction by teaching mindfulness techniques that will increase resiliency skills in high school students. They will learn the fundamentals of mindfulness and meditative arts movements such as yoga and tai-chi.
Potomac View Elementary School – Getting Fit at the “View”, $1,500
Prince William County
The goal of this initiative is to increase physical activity among 4th and 5th grade boys and girls through soccer and running. Approximately 65 students will be eligible to participate in a mentoring program that will encourage fitness, as well as good nutrition and personal goals.
Potowmack Elementary School – Eat, Play, Learn $1,600
Loudoun County
An integrated curriculum including seed-to-table nutrition education and universally designed movement activities will foster healthy eating habits, a love of physical activity, and improved motor competence for approximately 22 preschoolers in early childhood special education classes.
Taylor Elementary School – Eat Smart and MOO-ve, $2,000
Arlington
The Eat Smart and MOO-ve program will combine promoting increased fruit and vegetable consumption with the goal for each student to complete a 100-mile, “Moo-ve to Richmond” challenge during in-school Physical Education (P.E.) classes.
Rockledge Elementary School – Nutrition and Fitness Programs at Rockledge ES, $1,800
Prince William County
This program strives to increase the health and activity level of Rockledge Elementary School students and families by offering a free Bike Rodeo, a family walking club, and nutritious meals as part of SOL Night.
Westfield High School - Girl's Only Fitness Class, $2,000
Fairfax County
This class will educate female students who are not athletic team participants or in Physical Education (P.E.) class about a healthy diet, the importance of 60 minutes of activities, and what they can do to stay healthy and fit for the rest of their lives. This class will change the way these girls think, feel and see themselves.
Grantees were approved by the Community Foundation’s Board of Directors after having been selected by a volunteer committee including Lilian DeJonge, Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, GMU; Jesse Ellis, Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services; Former Teacher; Susan Nolan, Community Foundation Board Member; Rhonda Richardson, Health Coach, INTotal Health; and Joan Kasprowicz, Community Leader and past Community Foundation Board member.
For more information about the Healthy Kids Grants program, please contact Sari Raskin This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Melissa Bautista This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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