-
Corona-Norco Unified School District in California and Red Hawk
Elementary School in Colorado named national winners
-
Technology grand prize and regional winners recognized for achievements
Company Website:
http://www.cigna.com
BLOOMFIELD, Conn. -- (Business Wire)
Cigna (CI:NYSE) and ChildObesity180 today announced the two national
school program winners in their nationwide innovation contest:
Corona-Norco Unified School District’s “100 Mile Club” in Norco, Calif.
and Red Hawk Elementary’s “Red Hawk Movement” in Erie, Colo.
The competition was designed to identify and reward the most creative,
impactful, and scalable school-based programs and technologies to
promote children’s physical activity. With the support of Cigna, the
Active Schools Acceleration Project (ASAP), a ChildObesity180
initiative, launched the competition in February 2012 in a commitment
with the Partnership for a Healthier America. First Lady Michelle Obama
encouraged participation in the competition with a call for applications
via a video message.
“The teachers and schools we honor here today remind us that you don’t
need big budgets or big open spaces to achieve big results. All you need
are creative minds, energetic students and teachers who are given the
support they need to find a different way,” Cigna CEO David M. Cordani
said as he addressed the audience at today’s awards event.
Teachers, schools and school districts submitted their school-based
physical activity programs to the School Programs category, while the
Technology Innovation category invited developers, inventors, and
entrepreneurs to demonstrate how existing or emerging technologies could
be used to inspire kids to be physically active. A panel of experts
representing various fields judged the entries. A complete list of
judges is available at www.ActiveSchoolsASAP.org.
The National School Programs category winners will receive $100,000 to
further advance health and wellness programming in their school or
district. The national winners were selected from a pool of nine
regional School Programs category winners, who will receive $25,000. The
two Technology Innovation Grand Prize winners will receive $50,000 each
to advance their technologies.
School Programs Category National Winners:
-
Corona-Norco Unified School District’s 100
Mile Club, Norco, Calif. – Among the many schools nationwide
employing running and walking programs, the 100 Mile Club in
Corona-Norco, Calif. is a pioneer. Inspired by the 1992 Summer
Olympics, special education teacher Kara Lubin had a dream that kids
would be motivated to stay fit by the simple goal of “winning the gold
medal.” These medals, based on dedication and effort, not speed and
fitness, could reward students of all abilities, including Lubin’s
special education students. Lubin took action and founded the 100 Mile
Club in 1993. Elementary school students are presented with a
straightforward challenge: run 100 miles over the course of the school
year. Students log miles before school, after school, during recess,
and at community events. Milestones are rewarded with simple tokens –
wristbands, pencils and medals. A year-end assembly celebrates and
recognizes students who have achieved 100 miles, and those still with
miles to go. Nearly 20 years later, the 100 Mile Club has stood the
test of time, and has been adopted by schools in California and across
the nation. The program is highly scalable and with Lubin’s help, is
now in place in more than 115 schools across eight U.S. states,
reaching more than 30,000 students.
-
Red Hawk Elementary’s Red Hawk Movement, Erie, Colo. – Movement and
exercise are more than activities at Red Hawk Elementary; they are
foundational elements of the school culture. As a new public school in
the St. Vrain Valley School District located outside of Denver, Red
Hawk built physical activity into the plan from day one. Using a
rotating daily “movement calendar,” students gain 40 minutes of
moderate to vigorous physical activity on a daily basis, in addition
to scheduled physical education class and recess. These structured
routines are taught by the professional PE staff outdoors or in the
gym, and can be repeated in the classroom with student leaders taking
charge. Strategically placed 20-minute blocks occur once in the
morning to increase energy and attentiveness at the start of the day,
and once in the afternoon immediately before math and science, the
most challenging academic subjects. Favorite activities include the
Red Hawk Walk, in which students power-walk along designated routes
throughout the building, as well as in-class cardio and dance breaks.
Each Friday the week ends with “All-School Movement,” when all 460
students, faculty and staff head outside to participate in a
coordinated fitness routine set to popular music.
School Programs Category Regional Winners:
-
El Paso Independent School District - El Paso, Texas – Southwest Region
-
Hilton Head Island Elementary School for the Creative Arts - Hilton
Head, S.C. – Atlantic Region
-
Meadowview Elementary School - Farmington, Minn. – Midwest Region
-
Miami-Dade County Public Schools - Miami, Fla. – Southeast Region
-
Harlem and Washington Heights / Inwood (PS 4, PS 102, PS 128, PS 123,
PS 152, PS/IS 180, PS/IS 206, PS/IS 210) - New York, N.Y. – New
York/New Jersey Region
-
Natick Public Schools - Natick, Mass. – Northeast Region
-
Overland Elementary School - Los Angeles, Calif. – West Region
Technology Innovation Category Grand Prize Winners
“Identifying these school program and technology innovations is the
first phase in ChildObesity180’s Active Schools Acceleration Project. We
will now work to replicate and expand these programs to increase
quality, in-school physical activity in schools nationwide and help
reduce the trend of childhood obesity,” said Christina Economos, PhD,
vice-chair and director of ChildObesity180, associate professor at the
Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, and
a leading researcher in childhood obesity prevention.
Working closely with leading researchers and expert staff at Tufts
University and ChildObesity180, National School Programs and Technology
Innovation winners will participate in pilot studies to expand their
programs and technologies to schools of different types, sizes, and
geographies across the country.
Peter Dolan, chair of ChildObesity180, said, “These school programs
demonstrate creative approaches to increase physical activity in
schools. With the generous support of 13 of America’s leading health
plans, we are pleased to award the achievements of these teachers and
parents and look forward to working closely with them to grow the
programs and move toward a real shift in the nation’s approach to
physical activity.”
About Cigna
Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) is a global health service company
dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and sense
of security. All products and services are provided exclusively through
operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Connecticut
General Life Insurance Company, Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company,
Life Insurance Company of North America and Cigna Life Insurance Company
of New York. Such products and services include an integrated suite of
health services, such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy
and vision care benefits, and other related products including group
disability, life, and accident coverage. Cigna has sales capability in
30 countries and jurisdictions, with approximately 70 million customer
relationships throughout the world. To learn more about Cigna®,
including links to follow us on Facebook or Twitter, visit www.cigna.com.
About ChildObesity180
Active Schools Acceleration Project (ASAP) is an initiative of
ChildObesity180, an organization committed to fostering cross-sector
collaboration to reverse the trend of childhood obesity within one
generation’s time. The ChildObesity180 membership is comprised of
national leaders from the public, nonprofit, academic, and private
sectors who are using their reach and expertise to drive an integrated
national strategy to prevent childhood obesity. The organization is
chaired by Peter Dolan, former CEO of Bristol-Myers Squibb. Leading
Tufts University obesity researcher Dr. Christina Economos serves as
vice-chair and director and Dr. Miriam Nelson, a Professor at the
Friedman School, is the co-director. Founded in 2009, ChildObesity180 is
conducted in collaboration with Tufts University. The Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation and the JPB Foundation are strategic funders. The
Innovation Competition is funded by a consortium of the nation’s leading
health plans. www.childobesity180.org
Contacts:
Cigna Corporation
Gloria Barone, 215-761-4758
Gloria.Barone@cigna.com
or
Joan
Wickham, 360-556-7843
Joan.Wickham@edelman.com
Source: Cigna Corporation