Physical activity and proper nutrition are two of the main components contributing to an individual’s overall wellness. Unfortunately, this is something individuals learn when faced with a health challenge, but it’s not necessarily something that is taught or imparted to children or young adults. Oftentimes, we take this “wellness” for granted never knowing that having been mindful of these factors at a younger age, we may be giving ourselves a better chance for a healthy life. With that educational objective as its mission, the Fond du Lac School District proposed to serve all of its 7,340 students with their Mindfully Active Community (MAC) project.
Marian Sheridan, School Health Programs Coordinator, Dave Michalkiewicz, Atheltic Director, and CESA 6 staff designed, wrote and submitted the MAC project to the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Healthy Students which manages the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) Grant. The District was recently notified that it was 1 of 16 grant award winners across the country to receive a PEP Grant. Equally notable, they were 1 of 2 in Wisconsin school districts awarded monies from this foundation.
The grant award in the amount of $1,250,942 will be disbursed over the next three years to initiatives that will enhance nutrition efforts and wellness opportunities across the District. Dru Mitchell, a teacher with the Fond du Lac School District since 1988 (first in special education and then joining the physical education department in 1990), will serve as the PEP Grant Project Director. Mr. Mitchell, who has served the District at both the middle school and high school levels, will assume primary responsibility for overall management of all grant implementation and evaluation activities. These activities will include initiating, expanding, or enhancing physical education programs, including before school, after school, and summer programs for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Additionally, it will be used to improve nutrition, student wellness, and physical activity programming to better reflect best practices in the field and to help address the needs of the diverse students and community.
The MAC project will help Fond du Lac students with responsible decision-making, goal-setting, and improved interpersonal skills. Several project activities include:
• wearable technologies that help students establish personal fitness objectives and strategies for achieving them;
• lessons focused on ways to lead healthy lifestyles and examples for accomplishing them;
• expanded opportunities to develop friendships, build self-esteem, work cooperatively, and take “healthy risks” through team-building activities; and
• a multi-strategy initiative to promote healthy food choices and good nutrition.
It is hoped that through implementation of these activities, students will develop an appreciation for lifelong healthy nutrition and physical education habits.
"It's important for students to develop healthy lifestyles because physical education not only helps strengthen the body but the mind as well," said U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. "These grants will provide additional resources to schools and communities to help educate students on the importance of adopting healthy habits that improve physical and mental fitness."