NY Jets, Heart Association team up to get kids moving

The New York Jets and the American Heart Association have completed another year of “What Moves U,” a joint initiative that encourages physical activity among youngsters.
Thirteen members of the New York Jets — including James Ihedigbo, D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Thomas Johnson, Jeremy Kapinos, Matt McChesney, Marques Murrell, Clint Oldenburg, David Clowney, Hank Poteat, Brett Ratliff, Robert Turner, Drew Coleman and Musa Smith — were on hand at P.S./I.S. 270 in Rosedale on June 3 to lead the teachers and students in “What Moves U” activities.
Responding to the continuing decline of physical education programs in many schools and the lack of physical activity for today’s youth, the National Football League and the American Heart Association have created the “What Moves U” campaign.
“What Moves U” is a national youth movement and awareness campaign designed to promote physical fitness and healthy living to an increasingly inactive generation of children.
“It gives me great pride to be involved with this campaign,” said Brad Smith, Wide Receiver for the New York Jets and “What Moves U” spokesperson. “It is very important to me that kids today know how critical it is for them to get out and play and not sit around all day watching TV or playing video games.”
The initiative incorporates several key elements: an in-school activity kit created for teachers, by teachers, which includes curriculum-based activity sheets, program-specific learning materials and school promotional materials; and an interactive fitness-focused web site for children.
Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for developing coronary artery disease according to doctors. It also increases the risk of stroke and other major cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, low HDL (“good”) cholesterol and diabetes. The American Heart Association recommends that all children age 2 and older should participate in at least 30 minutes of enjoyable, moderate-intensity activities every day.
Unique to other physical fitness programs for students, the “What Moves U” in-school activation kit is being developed for teachers of various academic disciplines to help them find ways to integrate physical activities into their existing lesson plans.
P.S./I.S.270 was very happy to host a “What Moves U” event and be part of this very important movement. They pride themselves in teaching their students that being physically active will not only change their body, making it healthier and stronger, but it will also change their life by making them feel happier and more confident.
More than 25,000 middle schools nationwide received an activation kit, and teachers have the opportunity to download the kit on www.whatmovesu.com.