Active Schools, Formerly a Let's Move! Initiative, Finds New Organizational Home in Action for Healthy Kids

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Sep 05, 2018, 16:11 ET

CHICAGO, Sept. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In a move that will strengthen efforts to create active and healthy school environments nationwide, Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) and Active Schools together announce that AFHK, the leading national nonprofit organization in school and student health, is the new organizational home for Active Schools, a collective impact initiative formerly known as Let's Move! Active Schools. The two groups leverage the strength of their aligned missions and approaches to activating school health champions for change, and a shared belief in the ability to make large scale social change through the power of collective impact.

Formally launched in 2013, Let's Move! Active Schools played a key role in former First Lady Michelle Obama's signature Let's Move! platform, working to ensure that all students participate in 60 minutes of physical activity a day in K-12 schools across the country. In alignment with education and health trends—including the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child education movement—Active Schools' vision is to reimagine school environments that provide opportunities for academic, social, emotional, and physical learning so that all children have the ability, confidence, and desire to lead active, healthy lives. After five successful years of providing schools with guidance on best practices and evidence-based programs, grants, and special events such as the Active Classrooms Campaign, Active Schools is well-positioned to continue to grow and increase its impact with the support of AFHK's robust infrastructure and network.

"Action for Healthy Kids and Active Schools recognize the interconnectedness between health and academics and that a systemic approach is required to achieve healthy and active school environments where all children gain lifelong healthy habits and are better prepared to learn and succeed," said Rob Bisceglie, CEO, Action for Healthy Kids. "We look forward building on Action for Healthy Kids' work of the past 16 years to create healthy schools and communities and further expand the missions of both Action for Healthy Kids and Active Schools."

"Not only does Active Schools' focus on physical education and physical activity align perfectly with Action for Healthy Kids' mission, but we are also both committed to ensuring that child health and the creation of healthy school environments are core responsibilities of schools," said Charlene Burgeson, Executive Director, Active Schools. "Thanks to the strong foundation provided by the Let's Move! platform and our initial organizational home, Partnership for Healthier America, today Active Schools has over 90 health, education and private sector partners and 36,000 individual champions. We are excited to reach more schools and health champions now in partnership with Action for Healthy Kids."

Active Schools will kick off the 2018-2019 school year with its second annual Take Your Parent to PE Week, September 24-28, which encourages schools to invite parents into their physical education classes to experience the benefits of physical education first hand and learn how they can support their child's physical education and participation in daily physical activity. To learn more about Active Schools and Take Your Parent to PE Week, visit ActiveSchoolsUS.org.

About Action for Healthy Kids
Action for Healthy Kids® is a nationwide grassroots network mobilizing school professionals, families and communities to take actions that improve school foods, nutrition education, physical activity and physical education for all students. Through funding opportunities, expert technical assistance, and our flagship program, Game On, Action for Healthy Kids supports schools in developing healthy environments where children thrive. To learn more about the ways our 150,000+ volunteer network is helping to make every kid healthy, active and ready to learn, visit us at www.ActionforHealthyKids.org, on Facebook (act4healthykids) and on Twitter (@Act4HlthyKids).

About Active Schools
Active Schools is a national movement to ensure that 60 minutes a day of physical education and before, during, and after-school physical activity is the norm in K-12 schools throughout the United States. It is powered by an unprecedented collaborative of more than 90 public and private organizations who believe that meaningful, sustainable, large-scale social change is best accomplished when organizations and individuals work together. To learn more about Active Schools and join the movement, visit www.ActiveSchoolsUS.org.

SOURCE Action for Healthy Kids