Marathon Kids receives $750,000 grant from Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
May 20, 2008
Grant to be used for continued funding of exercise and nutrition program in Texas, measure effectiveness
Austin, TX – Marathon Kids, Inc. was awarded a two year, $750,000 grant from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation to supplement program funding in Texas and conduct research and evaluation of the organization and its impact on participants.
The Michael & Susan Dell Center for the Advancement of Healthy Living, a research center within The University of Texas School of Public Health, Austin Regional Campus, is conducting the research by evaluating biological and psychological changes in elementary students after completing the Marathon Kids fitness and nutrition program.
Several hundred elementary students are voluntarily participating in the study; some Marathon Kids participants and others not. They will be compared over time using Body Mass Index (BMI), physical fitness tests, athletic identity questionnaires as well as other measurement tools.
A process assessment will also be conducted to gauge the Marathon Kids’ demographic coverage, program delivery, implementation in schools, and parental support.
“After eleven years of harnessing enormous support and advocacy for childhood health across the nation, we are excited to see quantified results of our impact on children and families,” said Kay Morris, founder and executive director of Marathon Kids. “The results will be used to measure our success as well as help us understand how we can make our program even more effective in combating the childhood obesity epidemic.”
After the two year study is complete, Marathon Kids plans to continue research and evaluation of the program and its participants to ensure ongoing success.
About Marathon Kids
Marathon Kids® is a twelve year old initiative that encourages physical activity and healthy food choices in children by providing enhanced curriculum to public, private and home schools. Started as a grassroots initiative in Austin, the national non-profit now includes children and families in Dallas, Houston, the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley, Baltimore, Los Angeles and Chicago. More than 122,000 K-5th graders participated in the 2007-2008 nationally recognized, free Marathon Kids program.
For more information about Marathon Kids, please visit: www.MarathonKids.org
May 20, 2008
Grant to be used for continued funding of exercise and nutrition program in Texas, measure effectiveness
Austin, TX – Marathon Kids, Inc. was awarded a two year, $750,000 grant from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation to supplement program funding in Texas and conduct research and evaluation of the organization and its impact on participants.
The Michael & Susan Dell Center for the Advancement of Healthy Living, a research center within The University of Texas School of Public Health, Austin Regional Campus, is conducting the research by evaluating biological and psychological changes in elementary students after completing the Marathon Kids fitness and nutrition program.
Several hundred elementary students are voluntarily participating in the study; some Marathon Kids participants and others not. They will be compared over time using Body Mass Index (BMI), physical fitness tests, athletic identity questionnaires as well as other measurement tools.
A process assessment will also be conducted to gauge the Marathon Kids’ demographic coverage, program delivery, implementation in schools, and parental support.
“After eleven years of harnessing enormous support and advocacy for childhood health across the nation, we are excited to see quantified results of our impact on children and families,” said Kay Morris, founder and executive director of Marathon Kids. “The results will be used to measure our success as well as help us understand how we can make our program even more effective in combating the childhood obesity epidemic.”
After the two year study is complete, Marathon Kids plans to continue research and evaluation of the program and its participants to ensure ongoing success.
About Marathon Kids
Marathon Kids® is a twelve year old initiative that encourages physical activity and healthy food choices in children by providing enhanced curriculum to public, private and home schools. Started as a grassroots initiative in Austin, the national non-profit now includes children and families in Dallas, Houston, the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley, Baltimore, Los Angeles and Chicago. More than 122,000 K-5th graders participated in the 2007-2008 nationally recognized, free Marathon Kids program.
For more information about Marathon Kids, please visit: www.MarathonKids.org