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Regional Award Winner
Regional Award Winner
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College Park Elementary submitted the following three essays for consideration of the Governor's Challenge Competition Grand Prize: Essay 1 - Commitment to Promoting Healthy Eating on Campus At College Park Elementary we are committed to promoting healthy eating habits. We realize that healthy eating begins with educating the students and providing them with an understanding of what “healthy” means. We have a school wide nutrition program that 100% of our teachers and students participate in. Every month each classroom receives a different fruit or vegetable to sample and an information packet that includes facts and recipes pertaining to that specific food. After sampling and learning about the food, the students take home the information and share it with their families. Our students also participate in the Dairy Council of America Nutrition education program, where they learn about what healthy choices are and what a balanced meal looks like. To enhance there understanding of where there food comes from; many classes have walked to the local farmer’s market to meet with farmers that grow some of our local foods. The students then purchase items and sample them in the classroom. It is evident that our students have taken to heart the ideals of healthy eating; many of the students now bring fruits or vegetables to eat at snack time. We also have instilled a “no cupcake” policy on our campus and have seen a dramatic rise in the excitement of students bringing in and sharing their favorite healthy food items for celebrations. In addition to classroom instruction our Nurse/Nutrition Specialist has presented informational meetings at our monthly PTA meetings to educate parents on nutrition and the important role it plays in child development. The Health Office on our campus provides many resources for children and parents and serves as an early intervention center for health related issues. Essay 2 - Support of Students’ Physical Activity and Fitness The entire College Park School Community is committed to physical fitness. Through physical education programs, integrated classroom lessons, school-wide activities, assemblies and parent education workshops, we actively incorporate health and fitness into our program. We strongly believe that physically fit students perform better academically. We also know that if our work is not supported at home, the progress we make is undone. College Park implemented the CATCH PE program across all grade levels this year. A staff development day is scheduled in November 2008 to formally train all teachers in the program. This year we partnered with the YMCA and UC Irvine to involve young adults in facilitating lunchtime activities. The UCI education students worked with teachers providing PE instruction in the afternoons. Another popular program is our Running Club that meets weekly to run the track during lunch and log their yearly mileage. This program began two years ago by a teacher concerned with the alarming rate of childhood obesity. Approximately 50% of our 2nd – 4th graders participated in 2007-08. Nutrition Services staff provide fruit samples as the students complete their laps. Our PTA funds club T-shirts given to runners during an end of the year ceremony. In order for College Park to reach 100% participation goal in the Governor’s Challenge, we needed total parent support. Our parents rallied around the idea due to the fact that many opportunities were available to learn about proper nutrition and exercise. This was provided by our school nurse at various parent meetings. Many opportunities are made available to students for physical activity including “morning music” during which students can dance before the school bell rings. Also, during the year students have opportunities to join afterschool teams directed by our city recreation program including: soccer; flag football; and basketball. Essay 3- Need For a New Fitness Center Physical fitness contributes to academic success and emotional well-being. We already integrate our physical fitness programs and nutrition activities into our core academic subjects. Currently, our school lacks a permanent facility for the fitness programs to which we demonstrate ongoing commitment. A fitness center is an ideal environment to nurture family growth, strengthen community relations, and promote a healthy lifestyle. The most effective way to build a fitness-minded community is to start early. By fall, 2009 our school will serve preschool through sixth grade, with a projected enrollment of 724 students. If you do something long enough, it becomes habitual. Our students will have eight years to enjoy the benefits of a fitness facility. By the time they get to junior high school, a fitness-minded lifestyle will be ingrained. Our school is classified as a Title 1 school with eighty percent of students receiving free or reduced lunch. They can’t afford to join a gym, go to summer camp, or purchase the uniforms and equipment necessary to participate in extracurricular activities. The only organized fitness opportunities our students have, are those the school and city monies provide. As a result, approximately 200 students remain after school with not enough to do. A fitness facility will help us to better organize our fitness programs. Currently equipment and supplies are stored in classrooms and storage closets throughout the school. The after-school program personnel use a 5’ x 6’ metal shed for their equipment. Our school campus is spacious, with a large field and easy access from three roads. It is located in a safe neighborhood and is being modernized through community voter-supported bond measures. Students as well as the community will appreciate, support and benefit from a new fitness center for many years. |
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