MIDDLETOWN, CT - One-third of our nation’s children are overweight or obese. Moreover, today’s children are the first generation likely to have shorter life spans than their parents due to increased risks for associated complications including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure and asthma. Compounding this disturbing trend is the reduction of recess in as many as 40 percent of school districts across the United States, in an effort to focus on improving test scores.
Community Health Center, Inc. (CHC) developed Recess Rocks as a national program to reverse childhood obesity and to redefine and redesign how recess is incorporated into the school day. Recess Rocks is a free, dynamic movement program for elementary school children that can be adapted to any part of the school day. It brings fun, non-competitive aerobic exercise and kinesthetic learning into the classroom and beyond.
Research shows that students’ academic performance improves when the brain and body work together. Through a sound foundation of school-based wellness initiatives, like Recess Rocks, teachers will be better equipped to balance kids’ recommended physical activity guidelines while enhancing academic progress.
Today, Recess Rocks has teamed up with Steve Roslonek of PBS Kids’ popular show “SteveSongs” to produce an energetic Recess Rocks theme song and music video, designed to spur kids into action. The music video, along with the official instructional movement video, and Recess Rocks programming, blend a variety of aerobic movements—like kickboxing, African drumming and yoga— and upbeat, energizing music. The sustained-activity programs can be used at school to get kids fit, sharpen young minds, encourage natural “feel-good” energy, build self-esteem and nurture lifelong healthy habits.
Recess Rocks helps move communities, schools, parents and kids to health with several free components available on www.RecessRocks.com:
· A free online toolkit that includes detailed classes, activities, guides, sample communications to parents and more.
· Teacher workshops, movement instructor training and customized programs that meet the needs of individuals, school administrations and organizations.
· “Recess” and “Active Classroom” programs that provide ample in-school opportunities for teachers to boost academic success and help children get their recommended daily 60 minute dose of vigorous physical activity, recommended by First Lady Michele Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign.
Log on to www.RecessRocks.com to watch the music video and download the theme song. Teachers can get started with Recess Rocks in their classrooms by downloading the free toolkit and signing up for the monthly Wellness Rocks e-newsletter.
Since 1972, Community Health Center, Inc. has been a pioneer in developing programs that address chronic health issues seen in the patient population. Recess Rocks was originally developed as a grassroots effort to help Connecticut’s children achieve better physical health through high energy recess classes. The program now seeks to fight childhood obesity across the country. Recess Rocks launched nationally in 2010 and has reached children in California, Nebraska, Kentucky, Arkansas, Rhode Island, New York and Massachusetts.
“For 40 years, Community Health Center, Inc. has been providing primary health care to families across Connecticut. Today, we care for more than 130,000 patients, many of whom are children,” said Dr. J. Nwando Olayiwola, chief medical officer at CHC. “Our studies show that programs – like Recess Rocks - that empower people are highly effective. They provide a forum for kids and their families to discuss their needs and define action strategies to address childhood obesity.”
