KiDSMARATHON Connecticut Selected As Finalist In Innovation Challenge

KiDSMARATHON
Connecticut, a highly acclaimed school-based fitness and nutrition
program, has been chosen as one of 10 finalists for the Partnership for
Healthier America’s Innovation Challenge to End Childhood Obesity.

An online vote on Facebook
is currently taking place in which the three programs that collect the
most votes will receive a trip to Washington, D.C. to present their
ideas at a conference and to an expert judge panel. The overall winner
will receive $10,000 in funding as well as consulting services from some
of the most respected public relations and management consulting firms.
Those interested in supporting the program can vote for KiDSMARATHON
Connecticut on Facebook at on.fb.me/VjBk4Z. The voting will close on February 1.

KiDSMARATHON Connecticut is a fitness program designed for elementary
school students. The program, with a focus on fitness and nutrition,
was developed by New York City Marathon winner Rod Dixon by Connecticut
Association of Schools. KiDSMARATHON uses a holistic approach to a happy
and healthy lifestyle for our children’s future under the mantra
“finishing is winning‰Û¢winning is finishing.” Interested schools can sign
up through CAS for the program in which students use the KiDSMARATHON
Training Guide to help participating children ages 7 to 12 to engage in
weekly fitness training while accumulating a distance of 25 miles each.
Each student trains at his or her own pace while enjoying the fitness
experience with their fellow students and engaging their family members
as well.

In the 2011-12 academic year, 35 elementary schools 1,624 students
took part in the programs, and several track and cross country teams
became involved as mentor programs for the elementary students.