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PEP Needs YOUR Support!
As you may have heard, in a January 6, 2003, Washington Post report
the Carol M. White PEP Grant was specifically singled out as a program
that may be cut in forthcoming legislation.
It was reported that, "the President even proposes doing away
with a school-based physical education initiative named for a former
aide to Sen. Ted Stevens (Alaska), the top Republican on the Senate
Appropriations Committee..."
At Central Washington University, we are fortunate to be working
with teachers in the local Cle Elum-Roslyn school district as part
of a PEP grant. This grant is allowing a small rural school district
to develop exciting new program possibilities focused on increasingly
children's participation in health-promoting physical activity.
Around the country PEP grants are allowing us to create a new look
to school physical education and directly address some of the most
serious health threats our children face.
How ironic that at a time our nation's health experts express dire
predictions about the health consequences of rising childhood obesity,
legislators will be asked to consider cutting efforts to improve
children's physical education!
In his recent address to the nation, the President announced several
new health initiatives. Unfortunately, most of them focused on addressing
health issues after they occurred.
How more obvious can it be that preventing health problems before
they occur not only benefits the lives of our citizens, but in the
long term is far less costly to the nation? In August. PELINKS4U
reported the following statistics from the government's own CDC:
- In 1999, 13% of children and adolescents were overweight.
- One-fourth of children in America spend four hours or more a
day watching television, and only 27% of high school students
engage in moderate physical activity at least 30 minutes a day
on five or more days of the week.
- Three-quarters of overweight and obese 9- to 13-year-olds do
not change their habits and remain overweight and obese in adulthood.
- Type 2 diabetes is on the rise in young people, a trend unheard
of a decade ago.
It's vital our legislators are made fully aware of the social and
health consequences of allowing childhood obesity to increase.
Unfortunately, what appears obvious to us needs constantly reinforcing
to our legislators. If we don't act now, PEP Grants may not be appropriated
for the Fiscal Year 2003.
Our friends at P.E.4LIFE
are working hard to educate Senators and Congressional Representatives
about the importance of this legislation, but they need YOUR help.
PLEASE encourage teachers, parents, and community members to express
their support for the PEP grant program by visiting the PE4LIFE
web
site. Tell them to follow the links to NASPE's communication
tool to Capitol Hill, CAP WIZ. It takes just a few minutes to voice
your concern.
Steve Jefferies
PELINKS4U/Central Washington University
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