MARATHON KIDZ
www.runatrecess.org
What does the program look like?
Marathon KidZ is an easy way for Hillsboro youth to get moving, shape up and have fun all at the same time! The program will provide an opportunity to get kids excited about running and being physically active not only this upcoming school year but throughout their lives.
With the help of enthusiastic staff and school volunteers, kids of all skills and fitness levels, speeds and abilities will embark on the goal of accumulating 26 miles in a 12 week period. Motivational incentives given as kids pass mile marks (5, 10, 15, 20 miles) will help to keep them running towards their goals. Easy to participate in, fun to receive rewards for accomplishing these goals, competitive as well as social, Marathon KidZ will provide the opportunity for success for every child.
How will it increase the physical activity of current members and other youths served?
Marathon KidZ will be a program open to all students ?kindergarten through 8th grade ?in the Hillsboro School District. Currently the lunch recess time is unorganized and the students can do whatever they want. During the Marathon KidZ program however, this lunch recess period will become an organized run time where kids are encouraged to get moving.
We know that there will be kids that accomplish the 26 mile goal before the 12 weeks are up. We will encourage these students to continue their mileage accumulation by getting them involved in Governor Kulongoski’s “Shape Up Across Oregon?program. Kids will chart their way across the state!
How many kids will be participating?
There are 23 elementary in the Hillsboro district. Currently there are 10,516 students in enrolled in kindergarten through 8th grade. Our goal is to get 50% (6,700) of this age group to start the program with 30% (2000) of that total reaching the 26 mile goal.
How will this program attract new participation?
There two main ways we will attract kids to the program: incentives and competition.
We will offer incentives for all participants to keep them motivated. Toe tokens will provide a very visible way for kids to receive recognition during the 12 week time period. Bi-weekly drawings will reward kids for participation ?kids who ran every day during each two week period will be entered into the drawing. Marathon “finisher?t-shirts will be awarded at the end of the 12 week period. PTA and PTO organizations may also want to sponsor activities throughout the 12 weeks to recognize the kids at their specific schools.
Friendly competition will also attract participation. Challenges between grade levels, classrooms, schools based on participation numbers will create additional excitement and reason to participate.
Describe in detail, the project activities that will get kids to adopt and maintain lifelong physically active lifestyles.
The key idea behind the program is to promote fitness and educate kids on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. We will do this using running/walking as the way to get our kids moving.
- Participation in the program will be easy ?any child who wants to work towards the 26 mile goal need only fill out a tally form and start running.
- Incentives and rewards will be numerous so that the kids don’t lose interest and are encouraged to continue towards their goal. Competition (based on participation percentages, accumulated miles, etc.) between classrooms, grade levels, as well as schools will also add to the excitement.
- Lunchtime and recess runs will be social events where running or walking with classmates will be promoted. This will also help to motivate those kids that may need a little more support and encouragement along the way.
- We will encourage school staff to get involved as well. Kids will see that running is cool no matter how old you are!
- Since the program will promote running 3 days per week for the better part of a school year, physical activity will become a habit for the students which will carry over into participation in other fitness and activity related activities (i.e. after school sports, the Hillsboro Track Club, all comer track meets, sports teams, etc.)
- Finally, we will make exercising FUN. Kids will understand that it is something that they can do virtually anytime and anywhere at an individualized pace ?for life!
Why is it appropriate for your community?
In May 2000 the City adopted the Hillsboro 2020 Vision and Action Plan which identified areas where our community could be strengthened. This plan was developed over several years and Hillsboro community members were an integral part of the process. Specifically the plan identifies Health and Fitness through “emphasizing wellness by educating all generations, starting with the youngest about the benefits of staying fit and healthy. Youth Activity was also an area of concern citing the need for “structured, wholesome activity for youth by promoting and expanding extracurricular opportunities.?SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Marathon KidZ addresses the concerns the community members had in both these areas.
Due to budget constraints in the 2003-04 school year, the Hillsboro School District was forced to cut back on the number of P.E. Specialists at elementary schools. As a result, students received less physical education exposure than in the previous year; 2004-05 looks to be the same. The Marathon KidZ program will add some additional “active?time back into the school day.
Do you currently have a similar program?
No. However, a four week pilot program took place at Hillsboro elementary school May 2004. We will be developing lap cards and handing out toe tokens as incentives. The Principal of the school served as the lap coordinator, checking off lap cards as the kids run. Information gained from this “mini-marathon?will help us to develop the implementation packet, training materials, lap cards and organizational structure for the Marathon KidZ program in the fall.
Why did you select this program?
There were many reasons we selected the Marathon KidZ program ?all of which center around the fact that our youth are not getting as much exercise as they should be. At a time when physical education classes in our schools are being drastically cut it was apparent that we needed to find alternative ways to allow for physical activity and promote healthy lifestyles.
As these kids run at school they will get information on opportunities to get involved in other activities offered in Hillsboro. There are after school sports programs at all elementary and middle schools; the Hillsboro Track Club attracted over 100 kids last spring; All Comers Track meets are free and are held every Tuesday evening in June and July; the Hillsboro Cross Country Club offers kids the opportunity to run on the courses used by our high school teams and compete in meets staged by the high school coaches. The “May Flowers?event held in May at the Hillsboro Stadium would provide the kids the opportunity to run in a road race of 5K or 10K distance. Marathon KidZ is designed to be easy, fun and allow the greatest number of kids to participate.
What is the frequency and duration of the activities (hours and frequency per week, month and year)?
There will be the opportunity for the participants to run at will 3 times a week (20-30 minutes each day) for a 12 week period during the fall months and the again in the spring. (24 weeks total).
Will you be partnering with any other organizations to make this program happen?
We will partner with the Hillsboro School District, School PTA & PTO clubs, High School students, High SchoolTrack Coaches, and other community sponsors. We will also partner with the Oregon Governor’s Fitness Council, and the Shape Up Across Oregon initiative.
How does your program relate to the needs of your organization?
Having many (if not all) kids participating in the Marathon KidZ activities will increase active life styles and encourage youth to become involved in other recreational and health/fitness programs offered by Hillsboro Parks and Recreation. The high energy and enthusiasm of Marathon KidZ will help to involve more kids in our other after school programs, and summer activities offered by Hillsboro Parks and Recreation. In turn, helping to foster activity and fitness will strengthen programs at the schools, and reward our community with healthier youngsters. Healthy and active youth will help to motivate adult participation in active lifestyles.
How did you involve youth members in selecting and developing it?
Over the course of the past year, recreation staff surveyed middle schools and elementary schools, and talked with student councils to gain insight into future planning for fitness related activities. These surveys showed strong interest in having a social component to programs, with esprit d’corps and interaction among participants. Marathon KidZ offers social interaction in conjunction with physical activity and rewards participants regardless of skill level.
What will your training needs be for this program?
The majority of training will consist of orientation for staff and volunteers helping with the program. Hillsboro Parks and Recreation staff will already be in place with after school sports programs at all schools. Recreation coordinators and site supervisors will meet with all the schools, and conduct orientation to introduce the program and provide details on all aspects of the program. Ongoing support and communication will be facilitated by the on-site presence of recreation staff. A program manual will be prepared to ensure the program runs smoothly at all of the sites.
Who will this program target?
This program will target K-6th grades in the Hillsboro School District now, but hopes are that it moves both state wide and then national.
Will this program allow for local corporate employees and other community members to volunteer?
Yes, we will welcome volunteers! With 23 participating schools, there will be many opportunities for volunteer assistance in all aspects of the program, from kick-off events, to charting progress and maintaining participant records, to rewarding participants and celebrating success and achievement.
What type of volunteer opportunities do you envision?
There are many opportunities for volunteers to assist with Marathon KidZ:
- Kick-off events and fitness fairs
- Helping to chart progress, maintain participant records
- Encouraging and motivating participants with enthusiasm, incentives and prize drawings
- Celebrating accomplishments and success at key stages and upon completion
- Assisting with May Flowers 2005 and other Shape Up Across Oregon events.
- Assisting with all aspects of publicity
What are your plans for continuing this project after funding ends?
As part of our program, we will develop and produce the Marathon Kids program implementation manual, a program guidebook that will be used year after year. The manual will serve as a template and model, and streamline annual training of staff and volunteers. We will seek additional partners and sponsors to assist with the costs of incentives, prizes, awards and products to maintain the interest of the participants. We anticipate community support to continue with the program, based on the strong community desire for healthy lifestyles as a major goal of the Hillsboro Vision 2020 Plan.
The program manual will be a “cook-book?that other communities and organizations can follow to launch their own Marathon KidZ programs.
(Written by: Mary Ordal, Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Dept)
For further information on this program and the highly successful pilot project, please contact Bud Harris @ 1-503.441.8484
