GRANTS FIT INTO FITNESS GOALS

Fresno Bee
By Felicia Cousart Matlosz
October 20, 2003

Fresno Unified School District's efforts to pump up fitness in the school district got a boost from a $460,400 federal grant.

The district was one of two in the central San Joaquin Valley awarded Carol M. White Physical Education for Progress grants.

The Dinuba Unified School District received nearly $149,100.

Only 19 school districts and community agencies in California received the grants, out of 256 nationwide totaling about $60 million. Nearly 1,300 agencies applied.

John Maurer, Fresno Unified's director of physical education and athletics, said the money will help establish health and wellness centers at McLane High and four middle schools: Computech, Sequoia, Terronez and Tioga. "We're trying to get money to do some things and stimulate interest in healthy lifestyles during school age and after that into adult age," Maurer said. "There's such a concern now with obesity. We want to get healthy lifestyles going through education."

Increasing problems with weight and obesity, particularly in children, are a concern throughout the United States.

In California 25% of children are overweight, compared with the nationwide figure of 13%. Health officials in Fresno County say the problem is worse here, with one in two children overweight.

The American Council for Fitness and Nutrition has helped the U.S. Department of Education publicize the grant program.

The council is made up of food, beverage and consumer products companies, nonprofit organizations and trade associations focused on improving health through fitness and nutrition.

Susan Finn, the council's chairwoman, said physical activity is "such a strong part" of battling weight gain and obesity.

She said the grants support community efforts to creatively educate children and adults about healthy lifestyle choices.

"What's going to solve the problem is that we have to change people's attitudes toward food and toward activity," she said.

Maurer said a group of Fresno Unified physical education teachers began working on a plan about two years ago.

Five campuses were selected that could guarantee space for new equipment, including treadmills, steppers, abdominal machines, pedometers, computers and heart monitors.

The program will also train teachers in a health and wellness curriculum.

Those teachers will then train others.
Dinuba Unified will use the grant for a "Healthy Kids" program that will include a computer-based heart-rate monitoring system, said Louise Bennicoff-Nan, assistant superintendent of educational services.
The district will train teachers how to use the equipment and in lesson plans to develop fit and healthy lifestyles in youngsters.

The program will focus on students at Washington Intermediate School and the John F. Kennedy Academy for sixth-graders, which is opening in 2004.