First Lady Michelle Obama recently wrote to the Los Gatos-Saratoga chapter to commend them for their work in helping combat childhood obesity.
Her letter is in response to the information chapter President Gloria Debs Kahn sent to Mrs. Obama describing the chapter's Exercise and Nutrition philanthropic program for 5th grade students at a local school. She thanks the chapter for working toward her White House initiative Let's Move, and for putting caring and commitment in action to help children understand the importance of exercise.
Part of the suite of Operation School Bell® programs offered by the chapter, Exercise and Nutrition was started four years ago to support an underserved school that had a history of 5th graders unable to pass the President's Physical Fitness Test. The school had few resources to change this trend. The school population is at high risk for childhood obesity and the associated medical problems.
A team of volunteer members visit sixty 5th graders once a week, working with the students to improve their physical fitness skills through running on the track and participating in a variety of other exercise opportunities. Nutritious snacks are distributed at the end of each exercise session and the students help prepare the healthy snacks.
Performance testing of the participating students shows the students had significant improvement in their physical ability after a year of participation in Exercise and Nutrition. Forty percent of the students passed the California Physical Fitness Test in 2009 vs. none in the previous year.
The Assistance League volunteers continually motivate the children with certificates, pencils and stickers. At the end of the year, the volunteers host a celebration picnic with jump ropes, balls and Frisbees used for fun exercise.
To learn more about this program of the Los Gatos-Saratoga chapter, go to www.allgs.org.