Items of Interest/News/Resources
2005 PEP Grant Winners Announced
Visit NASPE's website at www.naspeinfo.org for the list of the 2005 Carol M. White Physical Education for Progress (PEP) Grant recipients. (6.05)
News from NASPE -- America needs to make changes to ensure all school-age children get 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day (concludes a 13-member panel of health leaders in the June issue of The Journal of Pediatrics). According to the recently released article, "Evidence Based Physical Activity for School-Age Youth," the panel reviewed more than 850 articles and 1,200 abstracts to develop the recommendation that "school-age youth should participate daily in 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity that is developmentally appropriate, enjoyable, and involves a variety of activities." The panelists said much of the needed activity could be achieved at school with appropriate physical education, recess, intramural sport and before- and after-school programs.
The Divisions of Nutrition and Physical Activity and Adolescent and School Health of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommends daily quality physical education from kindergarten through grade 12, convened the panel. (6/05)
Encourage Your State's Outstanding PE programs to be STARS
As a state physical activity leader, you've seen it all and you know what it takes to be among the best physical education programs in this country. That is why NASPE wants you to encourage schools with outstanding physical education programs in your state to be a part of our STARS program. STARS honors program excellence in physical education. The next deadline is August 1 and we want your school to be among those honored in Salt Lake City in April 2006.
Program coordinator Marian Franck has recently revised and updated the STARS website. Visit www.naspeinfo.org then click Awards & Recognitions and then scroll down to STARS. Here you will find the criteria, application directions and form, directions for preparing the evidence portfolio, and the listing of STARS schools. Tell the physical education teachers that their principals will be thrilled to hear about the STARS banner and gifts they will receive as well as local, state, and national publicity and recognition from legislators. It all can be theirs. STARS will also bring national recognition to your state as well. NASPE looks forward to seeing your state's many applications on August (5/05)
NHLBI has a 240-page community mobilization guide designed to help local community, park, and recreation agencies promote heart-healthy lifestyle and changes such as increased physical activity and heart-healthy eating among children and adults. It provides all the necessary tools for creating and delivering heart-healthy activities to participants, tools and strategies for reaching targeted groups, forming partnerships, and working with the media, as well as assessment tools to measure program performance.
You can download the guide for free at http://rover.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/heart/obesity/hrt_n_pk/ or order a printed version for only $12.50 from the NHLBI Health Information Center via the same web page or by telephone at 301-592-8573.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published the "Physical Activity Evaluation Handbook." The Handbook outlines six basic steps of program evaluation and illustrates each step with physical activity program examples. Appendices provide information about physical activity indicators, practical case studies, and additional evaluation resources. Look for ordering information and links to the online document at http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/handbook/index.htm.
If you want to find out more about physical inactivity levels in your state, look at the website for the Division of Physical Activity and Nutrition at the CDC (http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnpa/stats.htm). They have provided an interactive program that allows you to review the 10-year trends (1990-2000) in physical inactivity by state.
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