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AYS Receives Grant for Health Enrichment

AYS programs in Decatur Township, Washington Township and IPS will have additional support for health enrichment activities over the next two years, thanks to a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. The $28,500, two-year grant will allow AYS to employ interns from the IUPUI Solution Center to facilitate health enrichment activities to certain Marion County programs. The interns will be managed by Jill Taylor RN, AYS’ nurse consultant through Community Health Promotions. Jill accepted the grant award on behalf of AYS at a reception on July 24.

Approximately 1,000 youth in AYS programs will be reached with the additional support. Two interns will be contracted, with one focusing on physical fitness and the other focusing on health. They will primarily deliver enrichment activities using Indiana State Department of Health's Jump Kids Jump curriculum and Marion County Health Department's Kids Cook curriculum. The nurse consultant introduced these curricula into AYS programs in the 2005-2006 school year and has been the primary facilitator. A community volunteer has also helped deliver the Kids Cook curricula in the past, as well as IUPUI pre-nursing students who delivered the Jump Kids Jump and Kids Cook curricula in order to fulfill their service learning requirements.

The goal of Jump Kids Jump is to fight childhood overweight and serve as an early deterrent of osteoporosis through jump roping. Kids Cook teaches the students about proper nutrition and allows them the opportunity to create their own healthy snacks.

Posted: 9/20/07

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