CLEVELAND - Hoping to make healthy lifestyle habits a part of every kid's life at an early age, three Cleveland institutions are joining forces to teach pre-K and kindergarten students about physical activity, good nutrition, and healthy behavior.
The Children's Museum of Cleveland, University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District have been awarded a $340,000 grant from the Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation to create and implement a prevention plan for the district's youngest students to address the escalating rates of childhood obesity and the problems that go along with them.
"A great deal of attention has been focused on obesity in older children and teens. But obesity starts in young children and programs for young children are needed," said Mitchell Balk, President of the Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation. "The Foundation believes it is most impactful when its dollars are used for very early prevention efforts. This project has excellent potential to help young children learn and develop healthy routines that will benefit them throughout their lives."
Thea Wilson, Ed.D., Executive Director of the Early Childhood Education Department with the Cleveland Metropolitan Schools, said, "The plan is that an actual curriculum for physical activity, nutrition, and healthy living will be developed to be embedded into the existing pre-K and kindergarten curriculum. It will not require extra time in the school day or take time away from other basic lessons, such as math. For example, lessons would be incorporated into math lessons, such as counting broccoli, or counting jumping jacks, things like that. It is our hope that this project can support the knowledge base for children and their families on the subject of nutrition of physical activity in Pre-K and Kindergarten."
The first year of the project will be devoted to planning and piloting the program. The pilot will roll out in autumn 2010 at the school district's Early Childhood Development Center (the former Charles Orr School, 9711 Lamont Avenue).
Sandra Redmond, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Children's Museum, said, "The new curriculum we are developing will be hands-on and interactive so that it will create memorable experiences for young children. We have created a great project team and look forward to working with the CMSD and Rainbow on this important project."
Leona Cuttler, M.D., Director of the Center for Child Health and Policy at UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, said, "Data indicate that rates of obesity in 2 to 5 year-olds are already about double expected rates across Ohio. Nationally, about one out of every four children at this age is overweight or obese."
She added that although the risks of obesity are greater for children who are ethnic minorities and children living in poverty, the problem of childhood obesity is pervasive across all demographic groups.
The program also calls for a companion series of session for parents of these children to reinforce the lessons taught at school.
"We hope we can make the curriculum fun and memorable for kids and parents to form a foundation for healthy lifestyles that become a permanent part of their lives," said Dr. Cuttler.
About The Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation
Formed as a result of the 1996 sale of The Mt. Sinai Medical Center and related Cleveland hospitals, The Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation seeks to assist Greater Cleveland's organizations and leaders improve the health and well-being of the Jewish and general communities of Cleveland now and for generations to come. Its priority funding areas include 1) Health of the Jewish Community; 2) Health of the Urban Community; 3) Academic Medicine and Bioscience; and 4) Health Policy. Foundation assets at 3/31/10 were approximately $120 million.
About University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital
University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital is one of the nation's elite children's hospitals, caring for thousands of children every year and educating generations of professionals in the spirit of our mission - To Heal. To Teach. To Discover. Consistently listed among the top children's hospitals in the nation, Rainbow was ranked in eight of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report in 2009 (most recent rankings). With a staff of more than 850 physicians, nurses, child life specialists, social workers and other professionals, UH-Rainbow offers nationally renowned programs in pediatric cardiology; cancers; pulmonary, endocrine, kidney, and neurologic disorders; surgery; cystic fibrosis; sickle-cell disease; and behavioral problems. Together with its partner institution, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, UH-Rainbow forms Ohio's largest center for biomedical research.
About the Cleveland Metropolitan School District
The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) serves a multicultural student body that represents at least 30 separate languages and cultures. Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Dr. Eugene T.W. Sanders and a Board of Education appointed by the Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, the District is striving to become a premier school district in the United States of America. CMSD is moving towards expanding 21st Century learning through the use of individualized academic strategies, innovative programs, highly qualified teachers, opportunity schools of choice and early learning intervention programs. Visit www.cmsdnet.net for more information.
About The Children's Museum of Cleveland
The Children's Museum of Cleveland is 'the' Northeast Ohio destination for children birth to eight years to engage in child size interactive exhibits and daily programs that nurture creativity, hands-on play and problem solving. Parents, caregivers and teachers join children in hands on learning. The Museum collaborates with many partners to provide multi-disciplinary programs for children and to advocate for their needs.
