Baptist Health and Kelley Construction Team Up with Project Fit America to Award Shepherdsville Elementary School with 2016 Grant

Baptist Health and Kelley Construction are pleased to announce collaborating efforts with Project Fit America (PFA) to support fitness in education.

Baptist Health and Kelley Construction Team Up with Project Fit America to Award Shepherdsville Elementary School with 2016 Grant

Louisville, KY (June 28, 2016) – Baptist Health and Kelley Construction are pleased to announce collaborating efforts with Project Fit America (PFA) to support fitness in education. After an extensive grant application and selection process, Shepherdsville Elementary School has been awarded the 2016 grant. “We are excited to announce the selection of Shepherdsville Elementary School as our 2016 recipient for the Kentuckiana region,” said Traci Wright, Assistant Vice President of Wellness, Employer Solutions and Community Health at Baptist Health.

Since 1980 childhood obesity has tripled according to the U. S. Surgeon General’s Report.  In answer to this alarming trend, Project Fit America (PFA) provides an action-based solution that works. PFA, a nonprofit organization that donates fully funded fitness programs to schools creating new opportunities for children to be active, fit and healthy as part of the everyday school experience. Programming includes state-of-the-art fitness equipment specifically designed to address the deficit areas where children fail fitness tests, indoor mobile fitness equipment, a dynamic curriculum with games and activities the kids play on the PFA outdoor & indoor equipment and in class instruction on subjects such as smoking intervention, nutrition and understanding your body. PFA also provides support to the schools for two years with training on site.

In the 25 years since PFA’s inception, over $13 million dollars has been raised to bring the program to over 1,000 schools in 300 cities in 46 states. Baptist Health and Kelley Construction teamed up in 2015 and awarded their first grant to Painted Stone Elementary School in Shelbyville. They are excited to partner again and bring this important project to Shepherdsville in 2016.

Research shows that not only is physical education important for a child’s physical development, it actually helps kids read and learn math.  “A healthy active child is a better learner, quality physical education has a direct impact on a child’s academic success,” said Stacey Cook, Executive Director of Project Fit America.  “We applaud Baptist Health and Kelley

Construction for taking this leadership role and bringing the program to the community.  These exemplary partnerships between the public and private sectors prove we can all work together to make a difference in improving the health of children.”

“Baptist Health is proud to join forces with Kelley Construction and Project Fit America to bring this innovative project to life in our community,” said David Gray, President of Baptist Health Louisville. “We join several other Baptist Health facilities in Kentucky bringing this important health initiative to the students in our region.” Baptist Health has been involved with Project Fit America since 2007.

“Kelley Construction is honored to work in tandem with Baptist Health and Project Fit America on this wonderful initiative.  It provides us all with the opportunity to make a positive impact and provide much needed resources to the local youth,” said Joe Kelley, President and CEO of Kelley Construction, Inc.  “One of the hallmarks of Kelley Construction is our deep commitment to give back to the communities in which we live and work – this initiative allows us to do just that.  We look forward to working with Baptist Health and Project Fit America on this outstanding cause.”

Fast Facts:

 The U.S. Surgeon General reports that since 1980 childhood obesity has tripled.           

Health experts have indicated that this may the first generation of children not expected to outlive their parents due to health problems associated with obesity.

• The government estimates 6 million American children are now overweight enough to endanger their health.  An additional 5 million are on the threshold and the problem is growing even more extreme as it becomes more widespread.

• Obesity harms a child’s body by creating adult diseases such as:

-Among children 6-17, hospitalizations for gallbladder disease has tripled since the late     1970’s.

-Among children 6-17, hospitalizations for sleep apnea have increased fivefold since the late 1970’s.

-Type 2 Diabetes that will damage your blood vessels throughout life and decrease longevity.  

-Metabolic Syndrome that increases the risk of diabetes fivefold.  If the syndrome persists into adulthood, a person is three times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke.

• The lack of fitness and health awareness contributes to many problems as cited by classroom teachers. Some examples include: Lack of self-esteem, hyperactivity, aggressive behavior resulting in classroom disruptions/playground fights and experimenting with unsafe diet practices such as fasting, diet pills, purging.
                                         
• The Centers for Disease Control states:

“Students who earn higher grades are twice as likely to get regular physical activity as compared to students who earn low grades.  76% of students who receive mostly D’s and F’s are not physically active on a regular basis.”