The Healthy Playground Makeover Sweepstakes
By: Lisa Gable, President
When kids run, skip, swing, slide and jump on playgrounds, they’re not just having fun and taking a break from their schoolwork. They’re also burning calories.
There’s been lots of discussion lately about school lunches and how we best feed our kids. Feeding our students nutritious meals is certainly important, but to reduce childhood obesity we need to focus on energy balance. Increasing the amount of energy and calories kids use is just as important as decreasing the amount of energy they consume.
Playgrounds are part of the solution. They give kids a place to use up the energy they’ve consumed, all while having fun with their friends.
The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation is committed to getting as many students as possible on fun, safe playgrounds. Every year, we partner with Discovery Education to sponsor the Healthy Playground Makeover Sweepstakes, a contest where schools nationwide can compete for a brand new playground from Playworld Systems, Inc.
Brand new playgrounds make a big difference for these schools and communities. Our winners compare getting a new playground to winning the lottery, saying it’s a dream come true.
"Winning this sweepstakes means the world to our school. We rely heavily on grants and donations, but have never received anything of this size. Our playground hasn’t been updated in more than 15 years, so this prize is much needed and greatly appreciated,” Tina Blankenship, principal of the Speake School in Alabama, said. The Speake School won our grand prize in 2012.
We’re thrilled to be able to make these schools and communities healthier, more vibrant places.
Applications are open from now until March 2015 for our next sweepstakes. For the first time, preschools are welcome to join too.
Two schools will win our grand prize, a new playground and $30,000 worth of prizes. Another 3 schools will win $5,000 worth of prizes.
Enter your school here and spread the word. Let’s get more kids running, jumping and playing tag.
2012 Healthy Playground Makeover Sweepstakes winner, Speake Elementary School
2013 HPMS Grand Prize Winner, Seaford Manor School